CALEB FLEMING The Roanoke Times

Wanda Reed explains the process of drawing blood to Kristie Jones, a first-time donor from Radford.

CALEB FLEMING The Roanoke Times

Brian Cundiff prepares bags and test tubes to be used at the UPG Aquatics blood drive Wednesday. Each bag holds one pint of blood.

| Caleb Fleming and Mary Hardbarger

The Roanoke Times

BLACKSBURG -- Extreme weather and a slip in company-sponsored donation drives are factors area American Red Cross representatives blame for a recent drop in blood donations.

Blood donations in the region, which includes 46 counties in Southwest Virginia and West Virginia, are 20 percent below the goal set for August by the national organization.

Montgomery County is no exception.

"The need is critical right now," said blood donor recruiter Tracy Bishop.

The American Red Cross collected 19,735 pints of blood across the region between May 1 and Aug. 23 of 2009. Over the same period this year, 18,169 pints have been collected, representing an 8 percent drop.

Bishop said although hospitals are still getting what they need, the three-day backup supply the American Red Cross likes to keep has not been maintained.

This shortage has put the organization in an "uncomfortable place" in Southwest Virginia, Bishop said.

So why don't more people donate blood to make up the deficit?

"No one asks them to," Bishop said.

Each donation consists of a pint of blood, and normally a person can donate every eight weeks.

At UPG Aquatics in Blacksburg on Wednesday, the bloodmobile received 16 donations. The goal was 25.

Sharon Kinder-Potter, the company's human resources administrator, said she spends a considerable amount of time talking to employees about giving blood.

She said it is important to make known "the reality of how important the blood donations are."

Kristie Jones and Deborah Lane, sisters from Radford, heard about the blood drive from Kinder-Potter and decided to make their first donations at UPG Aquatics.

Jones said giving blood is "the right thing to do," and added that she or a family member may need it some day.

Lane agreed and said she had wanted to donate for some time but felt as though she had not had an opportunity.

Kinder-Potter said there are about 300 employees at UPG Aquatics, but many work in manufacturing and will not be able to take time off work to donate.

"They're on the assembly line," Kinder-Potter said. "They don't have anybody to cover them."

Bishop said she now has just two manufacturing companies in Montgomery and Floyd counties that host blood drives. This figure was once as high as eight. She attributes the decline to a poor economy.

"Many can't afford to let 30 employees take an hour off work to donate blood," she said.

Bishop said record-breaking snows this past winter affected collections as well.

Heavy snow and school and business closings prevented Red Cross staff from collecting about 1,500 units of blood between December and February.

The extreme heat experienced this summer has scared many from donating in fear it will affect their health, she said.

But Bishop said all bloodmobiles are air-conditioned and many of the drives are held indoors, also in air-conditioned spaces.

Bishop said she is optimistic the return of students to Virginia Tech and Radford University will boost donation numbers in the fall.

Tech is the region's largest employer and blood-drive sponsor.

There are a total of 22 blood drives scheduled on the Tech campus in September and October, hosted by a variety of organizations.

Those interested in donating blood should visit www.redcrossblood.org.