The Red Cross wants you to give the greatest gift of all this Monday: life.

It is painless and takes no longer than 20 minutes.

The Black Belt Chapter of the American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Chapter House located at 812 Selma Ave.

Victor Inge, interim executive director, said that all donors will receive a free holiday T-shirt.

“This is the season of giving and blood is the gift of life,” Inge said.

Inge said that he has been wanting to start regular blood drives at the Chapter House for some time. This drive, Inge said, will give the public a chance to donate blood locally.

“It’s a local thing. It’s a Selma thing,” Inge said.

Inge said that in the past the bloodmobile has been the location for drives, but this will be the first time in the past year that the Red Cross has had a drive inside the Chapter House.

“People can come and donate blood and see the operations,” Inge said. “They can see the offices at the same time.”

The staff will be composed of nurses from Blood Services, a division of the Red Cross. Inge said that Blood Services is the group that took part in the bloodmobile drives.

However, Inge said, there will also be two volunteers at the blood drive to sign people up and operate the canteen.

The canteen, Inge explained, is where snacks and drinks will be given to those who have donated blood.

Inge said that anyone who hasn’t given blood in the last 54 days is eligible to donate. He also said that donors should weigh over 110 pounds and be sure to have at least some food in their stomachs.

Inge encouraged everyone to donate, not only because of the giving season but also because of our military being in harm’s way.

Inge himself started giving blood in high school. He said when he was a student some nurses came to his school and explained the problems of having an adequate blood supply.

That really impressed upon him the need to donate blood.