The gift of life at Barnett Harley Davidson, Vitalant needs 100 blood donations

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) - Vitalant of El Paso and Barnett Harley Davidson held a jump start to their semi annual blood drive.

A gift organizers say is really needed during the holidays. 

This is blood drive number 38 for the motorcycle dealership who encourages not only motorcycle enthusiasts but everyone in the community to donate the gift of life.

"As soon as we open the doors, there were, there must have been at least 30 people outside waiting. We have very loyal donors that have been coming for many years, because at the end of the day, it's not about the bike or anything else. It's about putting blood on the shelves for local patients," said Martin Gomez, Vitalant Blood Bank manager.

The motorcycle dealership and Vitalant had a goal of collecting 100 units of blood since December is a critical month for blood banks who see a decrease in donations as people focus on the holidays.

According to statistics, every two second someone is in need of a blood transfusion. It could be a child with Leukemia or an adult in ICU.

Vitalant says donating is very safe and quick, with each donation saving up to three lives.

If you were not able to donate today, they will be holding another blood drive January 17-20th.