TIFTON — The American Red Cross held a blood drive on Dec. 27.

The blood drive, which was held at the Tift Regional Community Event Center on Carpenter Road.

Bethany Howard, account manager with the American Red Cross, said that blood donations are used for a wide variety of purposes, from emergency situations to treatment for chronic conditions.

“It helps when people have cancer and they need a transfusion,” she said. “Blood and platelets are needed for accident and burn victims, for heart surgery and organ transplant patients and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. We need 14,000 donations a day to keep up with the need for the whole country.”

Howard said that while there is always a need for donations, it’s harder to get donations during the holidays and that there will be more than one million units of blood and platelets will be transfused to patients in the United States between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“There’s not necessarily a time when there’s more of a need,” she said. “But donors don’t think about it as much during Christmas time. Most people are traveling and thinking about the holidays. They’re giving gifts and they don’t think about the gift of blood.”

Those who would like to donate can look at the Red Cross’s website to find upcoming drive dates and locations.

William Castleberry, a long-time donor, said he tries to donate whenever he can. On Dec. 27, he was making another donation, which he’s been doing since 1995.

Mecca Lewis was also donating at the drive because she wanted to “help other folks out.”

“I’ve done it for years,” she said. “When I was in high school I started, and then my grandmother had had cancer and had to get blood so that made me want to.”

To ensure a successful donation, the Red Cross reminds potential donors to be sure to hydrate, wear comfortable clothing, eat and bring a list of any medications and an ID.

Future Red Cross blood drives will be located at:

• The Tifton Mall (458 N. Virginia Ave.), 3-7 p.m. on Jan. 3.

• Northside Baptist Church (4605 Murray Ave.), 3-7 p.m. on Jan. 20.

• Tifton Methodist Church (107 W. 12th St.), noon-6 p.m. on Jan. 21.

• ABAC John Hunt Town Center (2802 Moore Hwy), 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Jan. 22.

• Tiftarea Academy (3144 Hwy 41 N.), 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Jan. 30.