LifeSouth Bloodmobiles lined Jemison High School’s parking lot on Tuesday, Nov. 22 during a blood drive sponsored by the JHS Beta Club.

Students, faculty and the entire Jemison community were invited to donate blood between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Ashley Smith, district director for LifeSouth, said her team registered 77 donors and collected 71 usable pints of blood.

“We supply Chilton Medical Center 100 percent,” Smith said. “A lot of people don’t realize that.”

LifeSouth is a community-based blood bank. It is Alabama’s main blood provider and provides to 80 percent of the state.

“This blood will be shipped out to hospitals (Wednesday),” Smith said, adding that more blood is needed during the holidays because of an increase in traffic accidents.

“That’s an advantage of LifeSouth. It’s going to ensure that those 70 or 80 pints of blood stay in Chilton County.”

Dwight Swindle, JHS Beta Club sponsor, said his goal is for the club to hold a LifeSouth blood drive at the school twice a year, once each semester.

Students helped Swindle and LifeSouth employees all day, and many donated blood for the first time.

Swindle said he thinks the next blood drive will collect more than 100 pints.

“Beta Club has done an outstanding job in supporting this,” Swindle said. “The students seemed excited. I believe we’re going to get that 100 pints.”

LifeSouth provided food and beverages for donors, as well as free “Bleed for Your Team” Alabama and Auburn T-shirts.

Anyone 16 years old was allowed to donate with parent permission, and anyone 17 or older could donate without parent permission.

“They’ve been flowing all day,” Swindle said of the donors. “It’s been great.”

LifeSouth held another blood drive in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot in Jemison on Wednesday, Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.