He competence have a many common blood type, O Positive, nonetheless Jamie "Marty" Martinez is a unaccompanied breed.

On Feb. 2, after he rolls adult his sleeves during a American Red Cross Blood Drive in Beaufort, Marty will have donated his 26th gallon of blood.

That is equal to 98.42 liters, 3,328 ounces and 208 visits to bloodmobiles given he began donating in 1965 as a 20-year-old U.S. Airman stationed during Hunter Air Force Base in Savannah.

He's not alone in his magnanimity, either. His wife, Debbie, will make her 89th benefaction Feb. 2. She started donating in a 1970s while user on Parris Island.

"It is healthy to benefaction blood," she said.

The Martinezes' lives revolve around blood drives. They mostly news their vacations to Dollywood to coincide with them.

Debbie, who shares her husband's blood type, conspicuous donating blood is like stealing a little physical.

"You get your hemoglobin taken, blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and they check your blood for a lot of things. And it does not cost we anything," she said.

Giving blood is vital, Marty said. "We can't make blood, and a customarily proceed we can get it is by a tellurian donation. It is a good feeling to assistance others in need, and we know there is a need always with surgeries and accidents. People don't sense how vicious it is to benefaction blood."

Marty, 67, credits his ability to benefaction frequently to a healthy lifestyle of walking or sailing his bicycle daily and temperament black-eyed peas, cornbread, broccoli and rutabagas — nonetheless he still enjoys Lowcountry barbecue.

As for his record donation, Marty said, "I give all a value to God with blessing me with a health to give blood for as enlarged as we have. we humour giving blood and we know it is aiding somebody."

While he started a dress of donating as a juvenile man, he continued during his 27 years as a utilities systems director on Parris Island and during a 6 years he worked as a bailiff during a Beaufort County Courthouse.

Through their membership in a Christian Motorcycle Association, a confederate ministers to bikers during a Hardeeville rest area, while also apportionment fruit, coffee and H2O in Plan of Salvation cups during Dayton's Biker Week in Mar and in Oct during decrease bike week. They also dispense in a open and decrease in Myrtle Beach.

"We have a bike blessing, seeking God to give them sailing haven and we pronounce to all of them," Marty said. He began sailing motorcycles during 17 while multiplying adult in Victorville, Calif. He still enjoys sailing his yellow Goldwing with Debbie.

The confederate is dedicated to a encampment in other ways as well. Through their membership in Port Royal Baptist Church, they invitation by singing and giving devotions and prayers weekly during Bayview Manor Nursing Home. Marty sings with a Senior Praise Group during a church and is past master of Harmony Masonic Lodge No. 22 in Beaufort.

Donating blood has altered a bit by a years, nonetheless Marty takes it all in travel with his clarity of humor.

"The questions they ask are a lot different," Marty said. "They are some-more accurate about your activities. When we was initial in there donating, they asked 'How we feeling? Have we had a punch to eat lately?'"

Modern questionnaires shade for people with cancer, AIDS/HIV and they wish to know if we have been external of a country.

"I mostly fun around with them during blood drives," Marty said. "When they ask a many tide question: 'Have we always been this gender?,' we unquestionably wish to do a voice change on them," Marty joked.