Dangerously low blood supplies in the American Red Cross’ Tennessee Valley Region may be brought up to more comfortable levels if southcentral Kentucky residents accept a challenge to keep the precious red fluid flowing at an all-day blood drive scheduled for Thursday.

The goal of Donorama 2006, a project planned by the South Central Kentucky Chapter of the American Red Cross, is 250 units, said Executive Director Deneen Cooper. Since the Fourth of July holiday often results in serious accidents, she said, it would be a relief to have blood on hand if an emergency happens.

&#8220We’re already hitting low right now, so we need people to come out and help save some lives,” she said. &#8220I would really like to see 300 (units), but if we make our 250 goal, I’ll be tickled to death.”

A Tuesday afternoon check of blood supply levels at the Tennessee Valley Region showed less than a day’s worth for four types of blood: O-negative, O-positive, B-negative and A-negative, said Bill Beydler, manager of donor recruitment. The Red Cross typically experiences a dip around the Fourth of July holiday – high schools and colleges are out of session, so the Red Cross loses about 20 percent of the blood it collects from those students, he said.

&#8220This Fourth of July dip, we started experiencing it a couple weeks ago,” he said. &#8220We don’t know why it’s coming early, but we don’t know what’s going to happen after the Fourth of July holiday. It’s fortuitous that we had scheduled this Donorama event, because we’re counting on Bowling Green and southcentral Kentucky to come out in force and keep the beds full all day long.”

As this is the first year the Donorama is being held, Cooper said she’s not quite sure what to expect.

&#8220We are going to do the best we can to be sure that everybody gets in and out of there as quickly as possible,” she said.

Donors will be provided child care while they donate and food after they donate – coffee for breakfast, pizza for lunch, hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner, and plenty of snacks in between, she said. Door prizes will be given away all day, including gift certificates to various restaurants around town, a half-hour massage, a $25 Visa gift card, and Kenny Chesney or Nashville Superspeedway tickets, Cooper said, courtesy of Century 21 Bluegrass Realty Group.

About 40 percent of the population is, for one reason or another, ineligible to donate blood, Beydler said, but just 5 percent of the remaining population regularly donates.

&#8220If we could get another 5 percent to donate just once or twice a year, we would never find ourselves in this situation,” he said. &#8220But so many people think, ‘Well, if I have a family member that’s in an accident or needs surgery, then I’ll donate,’ but by then it’s too late.”

Since it takes at least three days to test blood and get it ready for transfusion, he said, it’s important to donate now so there will be enough on the shelf when an emergency occurs. According to information from the American Red Cross, an accident victim can use four to 20 units of red blood cells, while terminally ill patients use far more.

&#8220The challenge we have when our inventory levels drop this low and when blood banks across the country are experiencing the same thing is that we don’t have the flexibility to be able to go to other regions of the country and import blood if it’s needed,” Beydler said. &#8220The situation right now is critical in terms of the blood supply, and we’d ask donors to recognize that, and, if we do experience delays (at the Donorama), be patient with us.”

To donate, you must be at least 17 years of age, weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health and pass physical and health examinations before donation, according to the Red Cross.

If you go

What: Donorama 2006

When: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday

Where: Bowling Green High School

For information: (800) GIVE-LIFE or 781-7377