MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: The Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber (SMMC) is very pleased to partner with Bill Dodge Auto Group to provide their annual community blood drive.

The SMMC effort is led by Michelle Curtis, vice president and regional marketing manager for Bar Harbor Bank and Trust.

Bill Dodge Auto Group is generously donating its showroom at 262 Bath Road, Brunswick, to accommodate the Red Cross’s needs. Now is the time for chamber members, their employees, and members of the community to volunteer to donate blood and help save lives here in Maine. The need for blood donations is especially high during the summer period which makes this drive even more important.

Donations will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 9. Make an appointment by calling 1-800-Red Cross.

Regular blood drives like this are important to help keep a health supply of blood for those who need it. Did you realize:

— One pint of blood can save up to three lives.

— Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.

— More than 41,000 blood donations are needed every day.

— A total of 30 million blood components are transfused each year in the U.S.

— The average red blood cell transfusion is approximately 3 pints.

— The blood type most often requested by hospitals is the different varieties of Type O (especially O-Negative which may be used by all donors regardless of their blood type).

— More than 1.6 million people were diagnosed with cancer last year. Many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment.

— A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 pints of blood.

This blood drive is just one example of Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber members volunteering to keep our region thriving.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

— Hancock Lumber (158 Church Road, Brunswick) is hosting an open house on June 18, 4:30-6:30 p.m. to celebrate its new kitchen and bath design center.

— The June 24 Chamber After Hours is hosted by The Highlands, Governors Way, Topsham. Chamber After Hours are open house-style events. Business people are invited to attend anywhere from 5-7 p.m. This event provides an opportunity to make new connections, gather business leads and reconnect with business owners. The event is free of charge and all chamber member owners, managers and employees are invited.

— The July 15 Small Business Success Seminar is where you’ll learn to build recognition of your business with Pinterest and Instagram. There is no fee to attend. Bring your lunch (or not) and your smartphone or tablet. The seminar is at the Topsham Public Library, 25 Foreside Road, Topsham, from noon to 1 p.m.

OUR MEMBERS: The chamber welcomes Tom Carr, a financial adviser with Edward Jones, located in downtown Brunswick. Check out the chamber’s website www.midcoastmaine.com to find what you are looking for.

SMMC proudly serves 670 businesses and organizations in the following communities: Arrowsic, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Dresden, Edgecomb, Georgetown, Harpswell, Phippsburg, Richmond, Topsham, West Bath, Westport Island, Wiscasset and Woolwich. Find them all on our website at wwwmidcoastmaine.com.