The Green Bay Packers opened its doors to the American Red Cross, Tuesday as several of the organization's employees lined up to participate in the Green Bay Packers Employee Blood Drive.

"It's always nice for a company to put on a blood drive for its employees," said Dave Liethen, Donor Recruitment Representative for the American Red Cross. "It makes it convenient for them and they are able to donate easily without any distractions such as worrying about getting home late or having to pick up the kids from day care."

According to their Web site, the Red Cross collects, screens, processes, tests, transports and monitors approximately 22,000 blood donations daily from across the nation.

Leithen also added that about three percent of the American population donates blood on a regular basis, while there is a 97-percent chance that in your lifetime someone you know will need a blood transfusion.

"The Packers as an organization are always mindful of ways to reach out to the community," said Community Relations Manager Cathy Dworak, whose department helps organize the employee blood drive twice-a-year at Lambeau Field. "Giving blood is something that not only benefits the people in our area, but it also could benefit each of us personally. You never know when or if you are going to be the one in need of blood."

"Most of us have vacations or graduations or other summer activities planned," Leithen added, "but no one has plans to get in a car accident or to have a heart attack or to be diagnosed with cancer. And all of those things require blood for people to be able to get through those times so it's really important that people donate blood as often as they can.

"I would just encourage people to donate blood because you never know when you are going to need it. There are people everyday that are able to continue living because of people making anonymous donations."

For more information on how to get involved, visit **www.givelife.org** or call 1 (800) 448-3543.