The American Red Cross and our partner in blood collection, The New York /Penn Blood Region, will celebrate National Blood Donor Month 2008 with a special offer to all presenting donors through Jan. 31. The Dunkin' Brands Community Foundation is the proud supporter of the month-long offer, Give a Pint - Get a Pound.

Each presenting donor

will receive a coupon redeemable for a free pound of “the best coffee in the world.”

Your donation is important because when patients need blood to help - or even save - their lives, they need it immediately. But when blood donations drop due to inclement weather or colds or vacation time, this leaves patients at risk. These are patients undergoing cancer treatments, premature babies, accident victims, stroke and heart attack victims and patients undergoing organ transplants. The list goes on and many include you or someone you know. There is only one thing that is certain; patients in need of blood rely entirely upon the generosity of strangers - like you - to donate blood.

Donors must be age 17 or older, weight 110 pounds or more and be in good general health. The process takes about one hour and includes blood pressure screening and a finger prick for hematocrit or a check for the level of iron in your blood. For new donors, you get a donor card about eight weeks afterwards that lists your blood type. Friendly volunteers will offer you juice and cookies in the canteen while they watch your recovery process.

Come to a blood drive during January and receive your coupon for a pound of Dunkin' Donuts coffee plus you can enter to win a drawing to have one month's gas and electric bill paid - just redeem your “Points for Pints” scratch-off card following your appointment. Get the card and your Dunkin' Donut coffee coupon at the canteen.

It is anticipated that more than 115,000 blood donors in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, upstate New York and Vermont will enjoy a cup of Dunkin' Donuts coffee. You can donate blood every eight weeks - that's six times a year and the chance to save 18 lives during 2008.

January blood drives in Cayuga County include:

• From 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, at the First United Methodist Church, 99 South St., Auburn

• From 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, at Sacred Heart Church, Melrose Road, Auburn hosted by Social Ministries

• From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22, at Auburn Memorial Hospital

• From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, at The Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES Adult Center, 12 Allen St., Auburn

• From 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, at the King Ferry Presbyterian Church

• From 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, at Seneca-Cayuga ARC, 180 North St., Auburn

• From 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, at Holy Family Church, North Street, Auburn

To register for a time slot, call 252-9596 or e-mail

chapter@ccredcross.org. For complete information about donating blood, eligibility and blood levels, visit www.donatebloodnow.org.

Susan Marteney is executive director of the Cayuga County Chapter of the American Red Cross.