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The Southside High School Air Force Junior ROTC Department is partnering with Life South to host a blood drive next month.

The blood drive will be held on Thursday, September 16 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the School Gymnasium.

The theme: “Blood is Life. Don’t run it out. Please give blood.”

Southside JROTC Instructor Col. Brook Rollins said its important to give blood.

LifeSouth District Community Development Coordinator Melinda Hinds said the organization is grateful to work with Southside.

“LifeSouth is excited to be partnering with the Southside High School AFJROTC Department,” Hinds said. “We appreciate Southside’s willingness to pay it forward to their community by hosting a blood drive and saving lives on their school campus.”

Hinds said that Selma and Dallas County are crucial to LifeSouth, especially with local businesses.

“Dallas County sponsors LifeSouth blood drives at some of the local businesses such as Walmart in Selma,” Hinds said. “LifeSouth parks the blood mobile regularly at Walmart to allow the residents of Dallas County to give the gift of life.

“Hospitals such as Baptist Medical Center-South, BMC-East and Jackson hospitals serve several surrounding counties (such as Dallas County) when we have trauma patients, heart surgeries, cancer patients, accidents and any type of emergency.  They need to be ready at any time and have the inventory of the blood types needed to stabilize and save patients each and every day.

“Selma is only an hour away from these major hospitals and many folks travel to Montgomery for elective and non-elective surgeries.  And in emergency situations, patients are stabilized at the local hospital and then transported to BMC-South or BMC-East or Jackson Hospital. Hosting a blood drive is a great way to make a direct impact within your community.”

Donors must bring their Photo ID, weigh at least 110 pounds and be 17 years old.

A 16-year-old can give blood if they get a parental consent form supplied by LifeSouth.

Donors should not donate on an empty stomach and must be well hydrated before donating blood.

All donors will receive a recognition team, t-shirt and free cholesterol screening.