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'Mr. Blood Drop' to donate 160th pint of blood

Palatine resident George Serena, 86, will give his 160th pint of blood on Saturday, putting him at 20 gallons donated in his lifetime.

Serena, known as "Mr. Blood Drop" for the large red blood costume he wears to promote the lifesaving act of giving blood, will make his donation at the LifeSource Community Donor Center in Arlington Heights.

It comes nearly 70 years after his first donation, which he gave at 17 years old when his uncle needed a blood transfusion and doctors recommended that family members donate as a way to give back. He also gave blood throughout his service in the U.S. Army, noting that GIs received a three-day leave pass for donating.

Perhaps some people wouldn't keep track of how many gallons of blood they've donated in their lifetime, but Serena, a former accountant, said he keeps track of nearly everything - from how many hours he wears his blood drop costume to how much he has spent on gas going back 60 years.

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