Byron Wilson, of Lexington, began donating blood when he was at Eastern Kentucky University, and he kept it up. “It’s a no-brainer. Knowing you can help someone,” he said.

“If you can’t be a first responder, you can do something simple like sitting in a chair for 20 minutes and save a life,” said Byron, who is a special education teacher at Georgetown Middle School.

Byron said he donates because he would want a decent supply of blood available if something were to happen to him or his family. And for those who are afraid of needles? “It’s a little pinch. No worse than losing a tooth. It’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Byron Wilson, Blood donor