COEUR d'ALENE — Tesia Lingenfelter said it has been more than a year since the Inland Northwest Blood Center has seen a surplus in its supply of donated blood.

"Summer is one of our highest need times and we tend to see the lowest donor turnout during that time," said Lingenfelter, communications coordinator for the center. "It makes it a real struggle to try to supply blood to hospitals in the area."

Our region is not the only one experiencing shortages either. According to information provided by the center, there was a 30 percent drop worldwide last year in first-time blood donors when compared to the numbers from a decade ago.

To highlight this statistic, the Inland Northwest Blood Center is joining organizations across 21 countries for the "Missing Type Campaign" through Aug. 21.

The Missing Type Campaign aims to get its message to the world by removing the letters A, B, and O — the letters that make up the main blood group — from everyday, iconic locations in the United States, Japan, Ireland, and many other countries. Each of the Inland Northwest Blood Center's locations, including the one located at 405 W. Neider Ave. in Coeur d'Alene, will be participating in the campaign and Lingenfelter told The Press Thursday that the center's web and social media sites will also have letters missing in a show of support.

"We are really trying to raise awareness that missing blood types is a huge deal by showing people what it would look like if these letters were gone in our everyday lives," Lingenfelter said. "It's hard to read things when they are missing those letters, and people can't survive if no one donates."

Lingenfelter said the center has an ever-increasing need for younger people who are willing to donate, and they hope participating in the campaign as well as holding other events will help attract youth donors.

"Right now a lot of our donor base is older," she added. "When they go on medication or pass away, we lose a lot of our valuable donors and we are not seeing as many younger folks come in to donate."

During the last week of August, the Coeur d'Alene center will host a community wide blood drive in conjunction with the campaign. Lingenfelter said the week will be filled with giveaways and other events to help drive donors, particularly first-time donors, through its doors.

"In reality, only 10 percent of eligible blood donors actually donate," Lingenfelter said before encouraging residents to give blood. "It's a really easy way to give back to your community. All of the blood the center collects stays in the Inland Northwest and goes to more than 35 hospitals in the region."

Those interested in donating blood can make an appointment at www.inbcsaves.org, or call (800) 423-0151. Everyone who shows up to donate in the month of August, according to the release, will be entered to win a $500 Visa gift card.

"Blood donation takes about an hour from check-in to refreshments," the release states, adding donors can quicken the process by completing a health history on their website before heading to donate.

According to the release, volunteer blood donors must be at least 16, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, and be in good health. There are additional height and weight requirements for those wishing to donate who are under the age of 22.

For more information, visit www.inbcsaves.org.