Canadian Blood Services was in Portage yesterday, holding a donor clinic.

CBS Territory Manager Steve Raizen tells us this time of year presents a challenge for collecting donations, but the area Portage is always supportive.

Steve Raizen"Throughout the year we've had some really strong donation events, and some that were a little less strong than others," he says. "We do have a need for new donors in the area, so probably around 250 new donors to join the blood donor system in the Portage area to support our blood donation events."

Raizen says they always hope to see first-time donors, but understands some people have concerns.

"It can be a little worrisome for people who've never been out to donate," he says. "First of all, we want to let people know that it's simple and easy to do. It doesn't really hurt -- you do get poked with the needle -- but that poke is just very, very brief. And certainly, it's the most direct way that you an help somebody else."

Raizen stresses it's important to donate blood.

"Because over half of us will know somebody who will need blood or blood products in our lifetime," he says. "That's certainly a real good reason to come out to donate. But only about 4% of eligible Canadians donate, and that's about 70% of the population, so we have this big discrepancy between the need for donors, and the number of people that are actually donating for the rest of us."