Be a real life super hero at DragonCon’s annual blood drive event

ATLANTA — With great power comes great responsibility, and every year DragonCon uses the size of the convention to give back in a big way.

Channel 2′s Heather Catlin shows us how you can be a real-life superhero and pay it forward.

Right now, we are facing a nationwide blood shortage and every year, DragonCon does its part by hosting one of the largest blood drives in the country.

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While Spiderman and Princess Laia are marching down Peachtree Street at the DragonCon parade, Galen Unold with LifeSouth Community Development, and his team are getting donors ready to roll up their sleeves.

“We’re going to see right around 5,000 people come in and give the gift of life, and so it’s just a massive, massive blood drive for us and it’s so important for our community’s blood supply,” said Unold.

Unold said he has been doing this for 20 years.

“Every year I go, I’m still amazed by just the people and their willingness to donate blood,” said Unold.

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This is the 35th year of the convention and DragonCon is always looking for ways to give back to the community.

“We have a recognition that DragonCon brings a lot of people together and we look out and see the need for blood,” said Dan Carroll, DragonCon director of media engagement.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium will also be hosting the UGA season opener, so there will be a mix of people downtown.

“Last year we had a bunch of Alabama fans that came and donated and again, you see somebody with a big Roll Tide shirt on next to Wonder Woman, that’s pretty cool! Nowhere else,” said Unold.

If you donate this weekend, you will get an official DragonCon blood drive T-shirt with this year’s unique design. You can give blood at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, or any LifeSouth blood donation center and get the shirt.

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