All blood donors at the City of Santa Maria blood drive on Tuesday, June 30 will receive a coupon for a free pint of ice cream from Baskin-Robbins. Donors also will be eligible to win incentive prizes.

So, sign up now for this next blood drive, taking place from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 30. It’s easy: Call blood drive coordinator Mark van de Kamp at 805.925.0951 x372 to reserve a time.

Donations take place inside the big white bloodmobile of United Blood Services, in the parking lot between the lawn bowling green and the Paul Nelson Aquatics Center along South McClelland Street. This is directly across from the Santa Maria Public Library. City and County employees also will be donating blood.

Blood donation is a community responsibility. Donated blood can help a family member, a friend, a surgery patient, someone with cancer, a burn victim or a newborn. Donating only takes a short time and is well worth it. Consider the need for blood:

» About one in seven people entering a hospital need blood.

» More than 95 percent of Americans will have a relative or friend who will need blood.

» More than 75 percent of Americans reaching age 72 will require a blood transfusion sometime in their lifetimes.

» Blood is needed every three seconds (nationwide).

— Mark van de Kamp is a public information officer for the City of Santa Maria.