The need for blood has hit close to home – twice – for Jenkins Elementary School in Hickory. The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas (CBCC) and Jenkins Elementary are teaming up to host a community blood drive in honor of a teacher – Emily LaFontaine – and student – Jake Leatherman – who both have leukemia and have received blood products as part of their treatment.

The blood drive will take place at Jenkins Elementary, located at 3750 N. Center Street in Hickory, on Tuesday, Jan. 26 from 3:00-7:00PM. For appointments, contact Betsy Swann at swannbe@hickoryschools.net.

LaFontaine is a fifth-grade teacher at the school. Four-year-old Leatherman attended pre-school last year and his older sister is currently in third grade at Jenkins Elementary. Both LaFontaine and Leatherman received blood products from CBCC’s blood donors. Read more about their story here (http://www.cbcc.us/blog/1988-double-the-reason-to-give-blood).

“I’ve donated blood before, but you don’t realize how important it is until you go through an experience like this,” said LaFontaine.

“Giving blood is a powerful way to support local patients who rely on life-saving blood for their treatment,” said Kim Jones, director of recruitment and retention at Community Blood Center of the Carolinas. “We encourage the community to join us on January 26 to donate blood and honor Emily [LaFontaine] and Jake [Leatherman]. Together, we are making a difference for these two individuals and other local patients.”

For more information about CBCC, hosting a blood drive or scheduling a blood donation appointment, visit www.cbcc.us or call 704-972-4700.

About Community Blood Center of the Carolinas

The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas (CBCC) is a non-profit community-based blood center and the primary blood supplier to 27 regional hospitals, serving 19 North Carolina and three South Carolina counties. CBCC focuses exclusively on gathering red blood cells, platelets and plasma from volunteer donors to save local lives here in the Carolinas. Every drop stays here, saving local lives. CBCC is a member of America’s Blood Centers, North America’s largest network of community-based, independent blood centers providing more than 50% of the nation’s blood supply.

For more information on hosting a blood drive or donating blood in your area, visit www.cbcc.us or call 704-972-4700.

Follow the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/BloodCenter, on Instagram https://instagram.com/cbccarolinas/ and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CBCCarolinas.