A blood and bone marrow donor registry drive is being held on Martin Luther King Day to drum up minority donors during the National Marrow Donor Program's "Be the Match" Registry.

Daniel Eberts, a spokesman for FBS, said every seven patients who enter a hospital need a blood transfusion, prompting the need for blood drives like this one. In addition, January is the month of highest blood usage in Tampa Bay.

"There are no artificial substitutes," he said, "which is why healthy people need to pay it forward."

Locally, 10 News and Bealls teamed up to sponsor the event today, which will place bloodmobiles from Florida Blood Services at the following Bealls stores in the area from noon until 6 p.m.:

• 7201 State Road 54 in New Port Richey

FBS and Blood Net USA Donor Centers will participate in a blood drive today from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. at the following locations:

• 5319 Village Drive, at the southeast corner of I-75 & State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel
• 5355 US Hwy. 19, south of Gulf Dr. in New Port Richey

All donors receive a free $5 off coupon to Bealls, a limited edition MLK T-shirt, and checkups of their blood pressure, pulse, temperature and iron count.

In addition, all donors will be entered into a drawing to win a 2012 Kia Soul.

Fore more information, or to find other FBS locations in your area, go to www.fbsblood.org or call 1-800-68-BLOOD (25663).

Related Topics: Blood Drive, Flori