The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas (CBCC) has awarded scholarships to five local students for their efforts to help save summer. Through the "2011 Saving Summer Scholarship" program, area high school and college students held a combined 65 blood drives for the community between June and September 2011.

Growing the program from previous years, the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas offered five $1,000 scholarships to students organizing blood drives. This year’s winners include:

• Leeanne Stoltzfus of Mooresville, N.C.

• Tori Brigman of Harrisburg, N.C.

• Katie Fabian of Huntersville, N.C.

• Rebecca Hartsell of Midland, N.C.

• Daniel Mullis of Oakboro, N.C.

"Student donors account for more than 20 percent of our donor base and are important in the supply of life saving blood to our hospitals," said Martin Grable, president and CEO of Community Blood Center of the Carolinas. "As the primary blood supplier to the region, twenty-one area hospitals rely on CBCC and our donors to meet the needs of local patients. We want to thank all the students who helped ensure thousands of local patients being treated for cancer, cardiac disease, trauma and transplant surgeries would have the blood products they required this summer. These community service scholarships are but a small way to say ‘thank you’ to our students for their important contribution to community, and the need for life-saving blood.”

For the chance to earn the $1,000 scholarship for their post-secondary education, all participating students were required to plan a community blood drive by selecting a location, recruiting donors and collecting a minimum of 25 units of blood.

In addition to the “Students Saving Summer Scholarship Program,” CBCC offers other scholarship and grant opportunities for local students and schools. During the 2010-2011 school year, CBCC awarded $25,000 in scholarships and grants. For more information on how your student or school can participate contact Kim Jones, Director of Sponsorship and Development at 704-972-4724.