RUTLAND, Vt. -
A few deep breaths and rolled up sleeves is all it took Tuesday for thousands of people to donate what many consider the best holiday gift.
"Working in the medical profession you see people get blood and you kind of want to give back and help give," said Emma Wilcox, a blood donor.
The "Gift of Life" marathon lasted eight hours and every person who showed up was well appreciated.
"The spirit of the Rutland community is so inspiring to see people coming in all day giving blood and what they are doing is helping their neighbors people they might not even know," said American Red Cross Spokeswoman, Jecoliah Ellis.
The current record is 1,968 pints of blood and people down there donating they say that giving blood is much more than breaking a record.
"It's all about the giving, the record means very little," said volunteer coordinator, Chuck Piotrowski.
Ellis agrees, "In terms of the patients and families this blood is helping, its already record breaking."
One pint of blood can save up to three lives and organizers say knowing that is what makes it all worth it.
"I mean think about that, not everyone has the opportunity to do that and the fact that this small town will do that I mean how you can you not go home happy and get a goodnights sleep knowing that you've done that."
And especially after Friday's tragic shooting in Connecticut, this blood drive is a way for people in this community to do something positive.
"Yeah you feel kind of like you want to do something and anything will help out," said Wilcox.
"All that stuff that went on down there you look at it and see something evil and you see you can do something good just come on down," said Piotrowski.
The unofficial total from Tuesday's event at the four locations was 1,951 pints. Just 17 short of the record but they will re-go through the inventory just in case.
