Miller-Keystone Blood Center has issued an appeal for donors of all blood types and platelets.

Deb Otto, director of donor resources, confirmed that the center's inventory of red blood cells has reached critical levels.

"The ideal blood inventory on our shelves should be a three-day supply, or approximately 1,500 units," she said. "At this time, we are only at about 500 units."

"More than 450 donors are needed every day in our community, to help in the care of premature infants, accident victims, cancer patients and others in need of life-saving transfusions at our regional hospitals," she added. "While we've had a decrease in the number of people donating, the demand at our hospitals remains steady. I would just like to remind people that blood cannot be manufactured, it can only come from the kind generosity of volunteer blood donors. If there was ever a time to donate, now is that time."