La Vista – Melanie Whittamore-Mantzios chose to use some downtime at a conference to make a difference in her community.

She joined other attorneys at the Nebraska State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting last week in donating time and blood to support the Nebraska Community Blood Bank.

“Giving blood is important for anyone to do if you can,” said Whittamore-Mantzios, an attorney at Wolfe Snowden in Lincoln.

Whittamore-Mantzios said she used to be a regular blood donor, but she hadn’t been able to give to the Nebraska Community Blood Bank for a while.

The blood bank’s mobile unit was parked outside the La Vista Conference Center last Thursday and Friday as part of association’s fifth annual Presidential Public Service Project.

Samantha Cochran, operational lead for the mobile blood bank, said that “giving blood helps and fills a need.”

Cochran said donations started out slow Thursday, as a thunderstorm rolled through the area, but was “picking up when there are more breaks in the conference.” The blood bank ended up with 37 donors, including 25 new donors.

The donors are part the 7% of the population annually that donates all the blood used to provide blood transfusions for the four million people estimated to be in need nationally, according to Nebraska Community Blood Bank. It has three Lincoln locations as well as a new Omaha location, and it’s in critical need of new donors, a spokesperson said.

J. Scott Paul, president of the Nebraska State Bar Association, said the group has also bagged food to give to those in need in past years.

“The blood drive is a unique way for Nebraska lawyers to give back to the community that provides a substantive benefit to those in need,” Paul said. “We are proud to partner with Nebraska Community Blood Bank for the blood drive, and thankful to our sponsors – U.S. Bank, The Daily Record and ABA Retirement Funds – for helping us make a difference in our community.”

A donor’s contribution could save three lives, Paul said. All contributions to the Nebraska Community Blood Bank go to supplying hospitals in Omaha, Lincoln and greater Nebraska.

To find an opportunity to donate blood, visit ncbb.org or call 1-877-486-9414.