Blood Assurance and the family of a fallen Union County sheriff’s deputy will honor his life during an upcoming blood drive. The semiannual Derrick Whittle Memorial Blood Drive is scheduled for Saturday, April 6, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Haralson Memorial Civic Center in Blairsville. On September 15, 2011, Whittle, 38, was critically injured in a car crash while responding to an emergency call. He died three days later at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. Since the first blood drive in 2012, Blood Assurance has collected more than 1,000 units of blood in Whittle’s memory, which is enough to save more than 3,000 lives. Due to the overwhelming response from the community, the event now takes place twice a year: once in April to honor Whittle’s birthday, and again in September, in memory of his passing. All donors will be entered to win a $500 donation to a nonprofit of their choice. Donors can schedule an appointment online at www.bloodassurance.org/dwhittle. You can also call 800-962-0628. Walk-ins will also be accepted. To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids — avoiding caffeine — and eat a meal that is rich in iron prior to donating. About Blood Assurance Blood Assurance is a nonprofit, full-service regional blood center serving more than 70 health care facilities in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky and North Carolina. Founded in 1972 as a joint effort of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society, the Chattanooga Area Hospital Council and the Chattanooga Jaycees, the mission of Blood Assurance is to provide a safe and adequate supply of blood and blood components to every area patient in need.