ALTUS - It takes blood donors to compete in the ultimate rivalry between life and death. Do you have the stamina to fight for life? Join the Jackson County EMS and the Oklahoma Blood Institute during the upcoming community blood drive being held at the Altus Community Center on Falcon Road Tuesday, May 2 from noon to 6 p.m.

Make saving lives part of your game plan and learn valuable information about your own health at no charge to you. FREE OBI health checks include readings on body temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate and cholesterol and iron levels. Every donor will receive a FREE "Blood Donor Athletics Shirt" and points for Members For Life as a valued player on the OBI Life Saving Team.

Donors will be eligible to enter a drawing for a Spa Package! NEW OBI DONORS will be entered in a quarterly drawing for a Personal Media Player which holds 1 2-hour movie, 4 ?-hour programs, 300 photos, and 2 hours of music.

The drawing will be June 15. All donors that donate 4 times during 2006 will be automatically entered in the grand prize drawing for a $1,500 bank card.$1500 BANK CARD!

The drawing will be during the Battle of the Media Blood Drive in January 2007.

"We are appreciative of Jackson County EMS for their support in sponsoring this blood drive," said Ronald O. Gilcher, M.D., FACP, President, CEO and Medical Director for OBI. "And we appreciate every individual who takes time to donate and help ensure safe blood products are in inventory and immediately available in their community."

Oklahoma Blood Institute is a non-profit regional blood center providing blood to more than 110 hospitals in Oklahoma and North Central Texas. OBI encourages all blood donors to visit HYPERLINK "http://www.obi.org/"www.obi.org and join its Members For Life appreciation program to begin earning points for valuable online merchandise.

For more information, please contact Suzanne Thornton at 471-6697.