One local family is asking the community to give the ultimate birthday gift – life.

At 4 months old, Mark Beverly Jr., died due to a blood clot in his aortic value.

His grandmother, Tina Elmore, said when her daughter was faced with what would have been his first birthday it was overwhelming.

“My daughter came to me and said she should be doing a birthday party and since she couldn’t we should do the blood drive,” she said.

That was two years ago.

Now the family needs help in making the third annual Mark Beverly Jr. Blood drive a success.

“We don’t realize that the blood we give today might be the blood we need tomorrow,” she said.

Elmore said she is taking appointments, which are in 15-minute intervals, beginning at 12:15 p.m., Sat., July 28, and lasting until 5:15 p.m., at Green Tree Christian Fellowship.

“If they make an appointment, they don’t have to wait as long,” she said.

In addition, all donors will receive their choice of a T-shirt, sunglass lanyard or a Robert Trent Jones coupon for a free round of golf, and their names will be entered into a drawing to win a $1,000 gift card.

“I’m doing this to give the gift of life to others,” Elmore said.

“I’m going to continue to do this. It’s a lot of work, but anything you do that’s worthwhile is going to be work.”

To sign up, call 427-0023.

In addition, there will be another blood drive in memory of the Ramer twins, Kendai and Brayden, on Fri., July 30, from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 301 W. Cummings Ave. in Opp.