A LifeSouth bloodmobile will be at The Decatur Daily today, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and officials said donations are needed.

The mobile collection center is in the newspaper parking lot at 201 First Ave. S.E.

Donors will be entered in Lifesouth Community Blood Centers’ January drawing for an iPad mini. Donors also will receive a T-shirt, coupon for Papa Murphy’s and coupon for a free Whitt’s Barbecue sandwich.

The cold front that moved through the Southeast on Thursday, bringing snow and ice, plus the Christmas holidays left blood supplies low.

Galen Unold, director of donor recruitment and retention with LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, said the road conditions meant some blood drives would be canceled, and also said, “blood usage at many of our hospitals is far above normal, making the shortage even more serious.”

Unold said all blood types are needed, especially AB-positive and negative, and O-negative. All LifeSouth donor centers will be open today.

Donors must be 17 or older, or 16 with parental permission, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in good health. A photo ID is also required. For information about donating, call LifeSouth toll-free at 888-795-2707 or see www.lifesouth.org.

AMY POLLICK