Donating blood and volunteering has become a life commitment for Sherm and Marianne Abrahamson.

The first time Marianne donated blood, she was 19 years old and living in Wisconsin. Nearly 60 years later, she still is a regular blood donor locally.

The next drive sponsored by Fountain Hills Kiwanis Club and the Town of Fountain Hills will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday and Saturday, June 17 and 18, in the Community Center.

The American Red Cross must collect approximately 14,000 blood and platelet donations every day for patients in about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.

Blood and platelets are needed to respond to patient emergencies, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease.

Marianne’s father, a long-time blood and platelet donor, inspired her to give.

After marrying Sherm, she convinced him to join her. He donates blood every eight weeks, an activity that he has done over the last 20 years to give 110 pints.

“I look at it as the perfect charitable gift because it goes from an anonymous donor to anonymous donoree. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

The couple also commit to volunteering at Mayo Clinic.

“Volunteering and helping others is such a way of life for us. Those who don’t, shortchange people and themselves,” said Sherm.

Melanie Anderelli has been both a blood donor and a recipient.

In 1988, she and her husband were involved in a motorcycle accident. As she described the time, “three units of blood and two surgeries later, I was on the road to recovery.”

She began donating blood as a sophomore in college. Her sister’s boyfriend, now her brother-in-law, was a member of a service fraternity that sponsored blood drives on campus for the Red Cross.

“My donations were sporadic for several years,” said Anderelli.

When she moved to town in 1999, she resumed giving blood again, “and I haven’t missed too many drives.”

As Anderelli said, “Giving blood costs me nothing but time and it gives life to others.”

Mike Scharnow began donating blood in the 1980s as a college student.

“I think it was part of some psychology experiment since we had to fill out a questionnaire before and afterward,” recalled Scharnow. “The process went smoothly, and I started regularly giving blood once I moved to Arizona.”

A recent profile of his donations showed he has contributed 69 pints, and he has an appointment for the upcoming drive.

“I’m not bragging, and I’m not sure how many gallons that equates to, but people need to realize how crucial and easy the donating procedure is.”

He has heard testimonies from survivors who believe they would not be alive were it not for blood donors.

“I’ve witnessed donors actually meeting the people who received their life-saving blood. Talk about teary-eyed moments. A little inconvenience and a little time are far worth the rewards,” said Scharnow.