Local Bus Trip, Blood Drive to Help Aimee Copeland and Family

There are two local opportunities with the South Gwinnett Rotary Club to help Aimee Copeland and her family.

Bus Trip to Augusta (time sensitive):

The South Gwinnett Rotary Club is hosting a bus trip to Augusta today for the purpose of giving blood at the blood center that supplies the JMS Burn Center where Aimee Copeland is a patient.

The public is invited to join the Rotarians' the bus, which will leave from at 8 a.m. (There are 20 community member slots left, as of 5:30 a.m. Friday.) If possible, the group is asking for a $20 donation from all riders to defer the cost of the bus.

To register for the bus trip, please go to our website, www.southgwinnettrotary.org and register as a community member. The event shows the remaining slots available. The group can take a total of 40 people on the bus, but registrations are necessary.

While there the group hopes to be able to visit the Copeland family to personal extend their concern and support, said Gene Davis, president of the South Gwinnett Rotary Club. The group return to the First Baptist Church about 4 p.m. today.

"Aimee's Blood Drive" May 21

In addition to the trip to Augusta, the South Gwinnett Rotary Club will host a blood drive on May 21 at . It takes places 10 a.n. - 6 p.m.

Registration is needed, and as of 5:30 a.m. Friday, more than 200 people are registered with 78 remaining slots for blood donations.

Organizers understand that some people may come to the event without having being registered, therefore if a member of the public does want to donate blood and is inside the church facility by 6 p.m., they will be allowed to donate, according to Barbara Myers, a member of the South Gwinnett Rotary Club who is helping organize the event.

A hotline number has been set up for community members to call to see what the wait time is. That number is: 770-978-5758.

In addition to the blood drive donation, there will also be a drive-thru donation area set up for people who want to drop off money to assist the Copeland family. And, , where "Aimee's Fund" is set up will be there to oversee the counting of money.

If citizens want to know what is going on the day off, they will be listen to WSB Radio, which will have a live remote from the church on Monday, according to Myers.

For more information, email info@southgwinnettrotary.org, or log on to the Rotarians' website.