The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas (CBCC) recently announced that Karla Perez Lopez is their “2013-2014 Holiday Heroes” scholarship winner.

Through the “Holiday Heroes” program, high school and college students partnered with CBCC to host blood drives during the 2013-2014 holiday season and help meet the needs of local patients. Lopez was awarded a $1,000 scholarship for collecting the most units of blood at her drive, held at the Smith Immigration Law Firm in Hickory. Her drive was able to touch 141 lives. She also won third place in CBCC’s “Students Saving Summer” scholarship program last summer.

Lopez – a resident of Lincolnton – works at Smith Immigration Law Firm, attends Gaston College and is a mother to a toddler son. She knew holding a blood drive would not only save many lives, but could also help her family during a tough financial time.

“Winning this scholarship helps pay for books or a couple classes,” said Lopez. “I know hosting a drive and donating blood is a good thing and I like to help. I even gained two pounds so I could give blood.” (CBCC’s minimum weight requirement to donate blood is 120 pounds.)

“Congratulations to Karla [Perez Lopez] for being our 2013-2014 Holiday Hero and a two-time CBCC scholarship winner,” said Martin Grable, president and CEO of the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas. “Our regional blood supply tends to run low during the holiday season when kids are out of school and families are away from their routines, so programs like ‘Holiday Heroes’ can be very impactful. We are very appreciative of Karla [Perez Lopez] and the other ‘Holiday Heroes’ participants who went above and beyond in helping save local lives.”

In addition to its “Holiday Heroes” scholarship program, CBCC offers other scholarship and grant opportunities for local students and schools. Since 2009, CBCC has awarded more than $129,500 in scholarships and grants. For more information, contact Kim Jones at 704-972-4727 or at KLJones@cbcc.us.

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 22 regional hospitals, serving 16 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 – every drop of blood collected remains here to help people in the Carolinas. 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 and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CBCCarolinas.