Services clubs across the Manning and Great Lakes are set to go head-to-head in the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood's Mid Coast Clubs Challenge.
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During the next three months, representatives will visit the Taree Lifeblood Centre to see which club can donate the most blood and plasma.
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood NSW/ACT regional partnerships manager, Linda Rendal remains confident more than 100 donations will be made through the challenge.
"We've got all our community clubs vying together to see who can give the most blood and plasma here in Taree," Ms Rendal said.
"We've got good support already from a few clubs and they thought they would issue a bit of a gauntlet to other clubs with friendly, Australian banter to see how much they can get people to donate and ideally get the word out through their memberships."
Holding the challenge during the summer months will be a timely boost in what is otherwise a dire time for donations.
"It becomes very quiet because lots of people go away on holidays," Ms Rendal said.
Club Taree and Wingham Services Club were the first two clubs to sign up.
They have encouraged all services clubs from Harrington to the Great Lakes to get involved.
Club Taree CEO, Morgan Stewart said the club was thrilled to get on board.
We've got all our community clubs vying together to see who can give the most blood and plasma here in Taree.
- Linda Rendal
"As a community hub, we think it's really important to do as many things as we can to try and help out as many people," Mr Stewart said.
The donation drive is especially important, given the recent bushfire crisis.
"Now more than ever we need to be banking blood and doing things in that space so we're pretty happy to be involved," Mr Stewart said.
"These circumstances are disastrous with lots of people suffering from huge losses.
"Now more than ever it's important to make sure we've got resources and things that people need- blood is one of those things."
"Many of these clubs became evacuation centres for the community and this is just another way they are showing their community spirit," Ms Rendal said.
The challenge ends in January.
Of course, you don't just need to be from a services club to donate during this time.
Catch-up:
"All they have to do is phone 131495 and our wonderful staff will book you in," Ms Rendal said.
"Even if you're walking past the centre in Taree, you can pop in and they'll look after you."
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