BLOOD EMERGENCY DRAWS LONG LINES OF AREA DONORS

About 185 good Samaritans, some waiting in line for up to an hour and a half, turned out Wednesday to roll their sleeves up and donate blood.

"It was a little inconvenient, but I realize it's kind of critical now," said Mike Shenberg of Cape Girardeau.

Last year, at this time less than 150 area residents donated blood. But the Red Cross made it known that it was short of all blood types, and people responded.

"We're here every month and this is the biggest we've had in a long time," said Helen Gwinn, an American Red Cross nurse.

Terry Allen, a mailman in East Prairie, drove to the Holiday Inn Convention Center after work, just to give blood. "I heard that there was a shortage," he said. "This is my first donation in a couple of years. I always feel great after. It makes me feel better physically."

Same goes for Claire Lafoon of Cape Girardeau. "I don't know why, but I do feel better somehow. It's been a while since I gave blood, and I feel more energetic."

Others like, Janice King of Scott City come every other month. This was King's sixth time donating blood this year. "It's something I like to do," she said matter-of-factly.

The Red Cross was particularly short on blood in the region, as well as nationwide. The shortages are attributed to poor attendance because of cold weather, Red Cross officials say.

However Wednesday's blood drive, which ran from 2-7 p.m. should help. The drive surpassed the goal of 150 pints of blood, by raising 185 pints.

Locally, Red Cross blood supplies of type O was at 26 percent; 29 percent for type B; and 60 percent for type A.

Nationally, all blood types are at 80 percent, except for blood O, which is at 50 percent. according to Neil Bassett, Red Cross principal officer.

Even if blood supply is not low in one area, it is still important to donate because often, regions in one area send blood to an area where there is a shortage.

The blood collected in Cape Girardeau is transported to a St. Louis laboratory, where it is tested for malfunctioning livers, AIDS and other venereal diseases and hepatitis, Gwinn said.