Collier County residents and visitors interested in donating blood in remembrance of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks can do so Saturday at the Waterside Shops from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Community Blood Center blood mobile will be on site near the Barnes and Noble book store.

Successful donors will receive a $10 gas card or specialty gift card while supplies last. Participants will be automatically eligible for the chance to win a summer grand prize drawing for a Lovers Key Staycation package for two. The drawing will be Oct. 2.

In years past, when the Sept. 11 memorial blood drive has been held at Waterside, turnout usually has been 125 donors or more.

Immediately following the 2001 terrorist attacks, hundreds of people from throughout Collier turned out at the Community Blood Center’s headquarters at the time, at the former Grand Central Station near downtown Naples, to donate blood to help save the lives of those injured in the attacks.

Within hours of the attacks, donors saw the wait grow to several hours so volunteers and staff with the American Red Cross helped triage the donors, and local restaurants brought food and beverages for the staff and donors. The blood center records show that 1,100 people registered to donate blood on the day of the attacks and on the two days that followed. A total of 865 pints of blood were collected.

For more information about Saturday’s blood drive, call the center at 436-5455.

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