Coinciding with the warmer weather, adults and children will embark on their summer activities, increasing the possibility of bodily harm and loss of blood, said a Red Cross blood drive coordinator.

Vivian Ugent, the Southern Illinois coordinator for the American Red Cross, said a local blood watch has led to the 1995 summer blood drive that kicked off Sunday with a weekly goal set for 435 units.

It’s a very difficult time for us, she said. The need for blood does not take a holiday, but people do.

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Ugent said the Southern Illinois region depends heavily year round on the high school and college student population, which drops considerably in the summer, and without donors there is a shortage of blood.

Ugent said the normal blood requested by individual hospitals is a two to three day supply, but currently hospitals have less than a one day supply available.

Five of the eight blood types are less than the one day supply needed by hospitals, she said.

Ugent said the Red Cross is already going into the July 4th holiday weekend with a deficit because the need for blood is outpacing donations.

The last campus blood drive was in April and Ugent said that all of the blood units collected in that drive have already been used.

All of our current supply was collected in April, she said. That is all gone, we do not have one unit of that blood left.

Ugent said to donate one must be 16 years of age or older (16 needs a consent form) and weigh 110 pounds.

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Carol Manis, a secretary for the Alternative Dispute Resolution clinic in the Law School, said she is not a frequent donor but decided to donate after a long hiatus.

I had always had trouble in the past but I thought I’d give it a try, she said. It’s an important cause and I will do it again.

Ugent said summer incentives include baby-sitting and a variety of locations and hours to provide convenience to people on the go.

Vogler Ford is also providing free transportation to Friday’s blood drive. Monty Smith, assistant sales manager for Vogler Ford said Uncle Sam will be on hand to provide free transportation for donors.

Uncle Sam is our limo driver and we will provide a New Lincoln Town Car, he said.

Smith said Vogler Ford has been actively sponsoring blood drives twice yearly, providing the business a way to give back to