LifeSouth Community Blood Centers and Meldon Law are inviting the Gainesville community to help replenish the local blood supply during the “Don’t Let Summer Bleed Away” Beach Festival and Blood Drive on Saturday, Aug. 1. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the LifeSouth Community Blood Center (4039 Newberry Road, Gainesville), according to a LifeSouth press release. Designed as an end-of-summer celebration, the beach-themed festival will feature food trucks, local vendors and interactive community booths while encouraging residents to donate blood during one of the year’s most challenging seasons for maintaining an adequate blood supply. “Summer is historically one of the most challenging seasons to maintain a stable local blood supply,” said Lorrie Woods, district director for North Florida, in the press release. For more information, to schedule an appointment or to find additional blood drives, visit LifeSouth Community Blood Centers’ website.