ROCKPORT — During this season of giving, many people forget they can give the best gift of all — life — and all it costs is 30 minutes.

Sharon Grandmaison and Rockport Police Patrolman Roger Lesch have teamed up once again with a traveling blood-donation team from Massachusetts General Hospital for the third annual Holiday Blood Drive at the Rockport Police Station this Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Grandmaison knows holding a blood drive in the middle of all the holiday hustle and bustle is a risk, but the increased need for blood at this time of year is just too hard to ignore, she said.

"Just a half hour out of your day could save three to four people's lives," she said. "In return, you receive the satisfaction of knowing you made a difference."

Last year, the six-hour drive collected 35 pints of blood, but organizers are challenging residents to invite co-workers, friends, family, and fellow church members to donate blood this year in hopes of surpassing last year's collection.

"We'd like to beat last year's record and would love to see more firefighters, EMTs, and police officers donating," Grandmaison said last week.

"We may not have any (Rockporters) in need of blood right now, but that could change in a flash," said Grandmaison, a full-time day-care provider and active community volunteer.

Organizers urge those 17 and older interested in donating blood to schedule an appointment between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. through the blood drive Web site at http://rockportcares.homestead.com/Blood.html.

To make donating as easy and comfortable as possible, the hospital will bring a state-of-the-art "bloodmobile" staffed with a registered nurse and phlebotomists. According to the hospital, the bloodmobile is an entirely self-contained vehicle equipped with four donor beds, two soundproof medical history booths and a fully-stocked snack area.

According to the hospital's Blood Donor Center Web site, MassGeneral takes pride in keeping the total donation time down to approximately 30 minutes. The bloodmobile collects an average of 56 units in a six-hour period, and has collected as many as 70 units of blood in six hours.

"Blood is a medicine that can only be given from one person to another; no other source is currently available," Grandmaison said.

The bloodmobile can accommodate three to four people every 15 minutes.

For those who cannot give blood, there are other opportunities to help. Organizers are looking for people to donate refreshments and small, stuffed animals that day.

Grandmaison said the stuffed animals, which must be new and at least Beanie Baby-sized but not overly large (6 to 10 inches), will be distributed to children in Massachusetts General Hospital and Shriners Hospital, including the cancer clinics.

"Donating a stuffed animal to a hospitalized child is a wonderful opportunity to teach children about empathy and the spirit of giving," Grandmaison said.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Grandmaison at 978-290-1393.

Jonathan L'Ecuyer can be reached at jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.

IF YOU GO

What: Third annual Holiday Blood Drive

Where: Rockport Police Station

When: Saturday, Dec. 6, between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Who: Donors must be at least 17 years old. Donors over 65 should call 617-726-9237 for special guidelines. Most healthy people over 65 can donate.

Why now? Because blood supplies often run low during the holiday season due to increased need — and many regulars donors feeling they are too busy.