A record number of blood donors showed up to save as many as 366 lives by giving blood during Baldwin EMC’s Spring Into Action drive on March 23. The staff from LifeSouth Community Blood Center collected 122 pints of blood, each of which can benefit as many as three people.

“I am beyond excited that we crushed our goal,” says LifeSouth Regional Manager Jennifer Rulon. “Eleven of those donations were on our ALYX machine (two units of red cells), two were plasma donations, and four were platelet donations. [This is] amazing.”

South Baldwin Regional Medical Center was also on hand and offered a variety of free health screenings to blood donors and community members.

Mark Ingram, Baldwin EMC’s vice president of corporate services and public relations, says the Spring Into Action drive is about locals helping locals. “All the donations made will stay right here in our community,” Ingram says. “We were overcome by the outpouring of support from everyone who came out to donate. Our goal was to collect 100 units of blood, a benchmark we have reached only once in the past. To secure 122 units was way beyond our expectations and a true testament to the servant spirit of the people of Baldwin County.”

Ingram says the Spring Into Action drive is a part of Baldwin EMC’s vision to be community involved. “As a member-owned cooperative, we’re called to do much more for our community than just provide electricity. Our goal is to improve the quality of life for those we serve, and hosting events like this – accepting blood donations and providing free health screenings for our citizens – is one of the ways we can do that.”