Emergency blood transfusions saved my mother's life a few years ago. Ever since, I've made a point to donate every 60 days. Here's a chance to pay it forward.

AP reports: RUTLAND, Vt. — Organizers of Vermont's Gift of Life blood drive marathon say they received 1,855 pints in donations, falling short of setting a national single-day blood drive record.

To set the record, 1,968 pints of blood had to be collected.

Organizer Steve Costello said the national record didn't fall, but Tuesday's event was the largest per-capita blood drive in U.S. history.