Now that the holidays are over, the Bulloch County branch of the American Red Cross is looking for blood donors before local supply becomes critical.
       Bulloch Blood Drive Coordinator Phil Gray said blood donations typically drop off in early January because of an increase in sickness and the absence of Georgia Southern students, from which the blood bank draws significant donations.
       "As far as the blood supply, it is not critical but if it doesn't keep coming in it won't take very long before we are critical," Gray said. "If you get under a day's supply, that's critical and we're just over a day's supply. It can get critical within a week."
       Gray said O-positive, O-negative and B-positive blood types are of particular need right now. The O blood types are universal donors, meaning anyone can accept that type blood, which makes them particularly useful. B-positive, according to Gray, is not as common as other blood types so there is a constant need for those donations.
       As an added incentive, Gray said the local chapter are giving away two Delta airline tickets to anywhere in the United States. In order to qualify for the drawing, all that is required is to give blood sometime during the month of January.
       Anyone interested in donating blood can walk into one of the locations during the times listed in the accompanying information box. For those that require a more rigid schedule, appointments can be made for the East Georgia Regional Medical Center, Women's Pavilion dates by calling the local office at (912) 871-5929.