The American Red Cross is calling on all eligible donors to give blood make sure a safe and stable blood supply is available over the coming weeks.

To help with this, two blood drives have been scheduled for this month in Chilton County.

The first will be held at Verbena Baptist Church on Wednesday, Oct. 8, from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. The church is located at 197 County Road 500.

West End Baptist Church in Clanton will have its annual blood drive on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The church is located at 2005 Second Ave.

The most critical current need is for donors with Type O blood, because Type O blood makes up more than half of the total blood requested by the more than 100 hospitals served in the Alabama and Central Gulf Coast Region.

Donors are needed every day to make sure everyone who needs blood receives blood. Under normal circumstances, the Alabama & Central Gulf Coast Region must collect roughly 800 units per day to make sure hospital requests are filled. One of the best ways to avoid a dangerous emergency shortage is to give regularly at Red Cross blood drives and donor centers.

The American Red Cross currently needs these blood types to ensure that stocks are at the proper levels: O Positive, O Negative and B Negative.

To give blood, one must be 17 years old or older, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in general good health.