The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to end the year with real meaning by donating blood for hospital patients in need.

Holiday activities, severe weather and seasonal illnesses, like the flu, can pull people away from their regular blood donation schedules. This creates a greater need for blood donations this time of year, especially around the winter holidays.

In the area, blood drives will be held in Hillsboro from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 16 at the Firemen’s Community Center, 203 Mill St., and in Elroy from  9 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 31 at Royall High School, 1500 Academy St.

To encourage donations, all those who come to donate Dec. 23, 2015, through Jan. 3, 2016, will receive a long-sleeve Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last.  Shirts will be available at the Elroy drive.

Healthy donors with all blood types are needed, especially those with types AB, O, B negative and A negative. To make an appointment to donate blood, download the free Red Cross Blood Donor App from app stores, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donors can now use the Blood Donor App to access their donor card and view vital signs from previous donations.