PICKENS COUNTY — This Veterans Day, The Blood Connection will salute our nation’s heroes by inviting the community to contribute to making a donation to The Blood Center of America’s Special Forces Wounded Warrior Fund (SFWWF).

Between November 9 and 11, The Blood Connection will donate $10 to the SFWWF for every blood donor who gives at 13 different donation centers across the Carolinas and Georgia. The BCA Special Forces Wounded Warrior Fund helps families of U.S. Special Forces members who have been wounded in the line of duty, fallen ill, or have fallen upon difficult times.

A veteran herself, Delisa English, the CEO of The Blood Connection, says “I know what it’s like to go through some challenges in your military life and I know every effort we can do to help these soldiers and their families is much appreciated.”

To increase the impact of this campaign, TBC will participate in a friendly competition with Blood Assurance, a community blood center in Tennessee, to see which organization can bring in the most donors during this three-day promotion.

“This competition with our friends at the Blood Assurance is meant to encourage both communities to pay it forward for our veterans. I hope to be able to say that hundreds of our community donors answered the call for this worthy cause,” said English.

In addition to honoring veterans, The Blood Connection is hopeful this friendly competition will increase blood donations in the region, at a time when donor turnout is low. The Blood Connection serves more than 75 hospitals across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia, and must collect 800 units of blood a day, to adequately supply their needs.

As a thank you gift for donating, all blood donors will receive a $20 eGift card. To find a center location near you and to make an appointment, go to thebloodconnection.org/donate.

Founded in Greenville, The Blood Connection has been committed to saving lives since 1962. TBC is an independently managed, not-for-profit, community blood center that provides blood products to more than 70 hospitals within Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

Recognized by the U.S. Congress for its dedication to disaster preparedness and the community, TBC works diligently to collect blood from volunteer donors to meet the ever-increasing demand. By keeping collections local, TBC serves hundreds of thousands of patients a year in its communities.

TBC is licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For more information, visit www.thebloodconnection.org.