The DeGowin Blood Center at The University of Iowa sees a significant drop in blood donations during the summer. But the need is especially great this time of year.

During the summer months, people who donate blood are less likely to give because of vacations and travel. For that reason, there's an even greater need for blood in the summer months.

So blood donation sites, including the DeGowin Blood Center, hope to encourage new donors to give this summer. They're also targeting University of Iowa employees in a series of summer blood drives.

"So we've really made an effort in the summertime to recruit those local people, especially those people who work here in the hospital and at the University in general to come in and help us out," says Mitch Overton, of the DeGowin Blood Center.

The DeGowin Blood Center serves University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, which uses 90 separate blood products every day. It's a need that never stops.

"It just takes 45 minutes out of your day; you can donate every 8 weeks if you so choose to donate that frequently. And what a great thing to do, what a neat power to hold in your hand Ð to give something of yourself to be able to save someone's life like that," says Overton.

You must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be cold and flu symptom-free for five days to donate blood.

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DeGowin Blood Center