Oakdale resident and Escalon Christian Reformed Church member John Bergwerff has been donating blood since 1977 and said his O negative blood type is a universal donor. The church was host site for a Feb. 13 blood drive. Bergwerff is shown here with American Red Cross phlebotomist Shavona Bernal administering a ‘power red’ on a special machine that is used to safely take two units of red blood cells during one donation while returning plasma and platelets to the donor. Escalon resident Thomas Brumley, left, has been donating blood for quite some time and was at it again, shown here after his donation at the canteen with American Red Cross volunteer Richard Nelson. A total of 32 units of blood were collected at the drive.

VIRGINIA STILL/THE TIMES