The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas (CBCC) has kicked off its annual “Holiday Heroes” program to give high school and college students a chance to win a $1,000 college scholarship by hosting a blood drive during the holiday season.

To qualify for a “Holiday Heroes Scholarship,” students must host a blood drive in their community between Nov. 22-30 or between Dec. 20-Jan. 4; recruit friends, family and neighbors to donate blood; and collect a minimum of 25 units. CBCC will award a $1,000 college scholarship to the student who collects the most units.

“Students make up about 25 percent of our donor base, and when they are out of school, donations drop significantly; paired with the busy holiday season and winter illnesses, collection levels often become seriously low this time of year,” said Martin Grable, president and CEO of the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas. “We count on our students to host holiday blood drives. By hosting a blood drive during the ‘giving’ season, students can impact the lives of hundreds of local patients who are counting on our community to ensure they have the blood they need.”

The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas is committed to supporting students and has awarded over $172,750 in scholarships and grants since 2009. To learn more about the “Holiday Heroes” program, contact Kim Jones at 704-972-4727 or at KLJones@cbcc.us.

“We appreciate all of our student donors who play a key role in our blood collection efforts. Over the last 6 years, 23,301 lives have been saved as a result of student-hosted blood drives,” Grable said. “Programs like ‘Holiday Heroes’ give us an opportunity to engage and reward our students who have the opportunity to be heroes by helping save local lives.”

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 and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CBCCarolinas.