By HEATHER RUPPE
Those who need blood and food will be helped in an upcoming blood drive and community outreach effort. The Colleton County Sheriff’s Office and Colleton Fire-Rescue are hosting the upcoming mobile blood drive on Oct. 15th in the Food Lion parking lot in Walterboro. The blood drive is being done with the S.C. Blood Connection, a blood bank that keeps donated blood local for residents in need.
The event will also benefit the Helping Hands Food Drive, a food drive initiative that the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office started 12 years ago. “Through our efforts, we’ve fed hundreds of families in Colleton through community partnerships with local grocers, churches, citizens, and Colleton schools,” said Shalane Lowes, spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Office.
Money will be collected for the food drive by the S.C. Blood Connection agreeing to donate $20 to the fundraiser for each person who donates blood. The more people who donate blood, the more money will be donated toward the food drive.
According to Lowes, the food will be dispersed to those in need during the upcoming holiday season, close to Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“The Colleton County Sheriff’s Office partners with DSS, SROs (School Resource Officers), first responders, and citizens to gather information about who could use extra help,” said Lowes.
