Greenwich's country clubs are competing to see who can donate the most blood during a national shortage. Several clubs will face off at the "Greenwich Battle of the Clubs" drive on Thursday, July 30, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Town Hall.

The drive is open to everyone.

First Selectman Fred Camillo promoted the event in his community newsletter, citing the American Red Cross's emergency blood and platelet shortage declared July 13. "This drop brought things to a critically low level and people everywhere should be concerned," Camillo wrote in the newsletter, reported by Patch on July 27. "I am urging people to come donate if they can as the national blood supply isn't rebuilding fast enough to keep up with the demand from hospitals."

The Red Cross said the nation's blood supply fell nearly 25 percent in June. Distributions to hospitals are running about 3,500 units per week higher than expected, according to the Red Cross emergency declaration. The shortage is especially acute for O positive and B negative blood, as well as platelets and AB plasma.

The organization, which supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood, pointed to busy summer schedules, temporary illness, and the seasonal loss of school blood drives as factors behind the decline. Dr. Courtney Lawrence, the Red Cross division chief medical officer, said in the July 13 declaration that without available blood, emergency rooms and maternity wards are paralyzed and patients with life-threatening conditions may not get the treatments they need.

The specific clubs competing have not been publicly named.

How to sign up

Residents can register to donate by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visiting redcrossblood.org and entering the sponsor code "GreenwichClubs." All donors who give between July 13 and July 31 will receive a Fandango movie ticket (up to $15 value) by email as a thank-you from the Red Cross.