Carrollton resident Julie Sell has partnered with the American Red Cross to host a community blood drive at the Luter Family YMCA in Smithfield on July 8.

This will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Everyone who donates blood will also receive a free COVID-19 antibody test, which, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, checks a person’s blood for antibodies that might indicate a past COVID-19 infection.

The blood drive will be by appointment only. Donors can make an appointment by downloading the Red Cross smartphone app, which will also facilitate expedited check-ins the day of the event and will be the means by which donors will learn the results of their antibody tests. Those without the app can call 1-800-RED-CROSS to make an appointment, or search for the 23430 ZIP code on redcrossblood.org.

Plans for the community blood drive came about when Sell, who had signed up to donate blood earlier this year, had picked a date that ended up falling at the peak of Virginia’s COVID-19 pandemic and needed to reschedule. She plans to assist with taking donors’ temperatures at the entrance to the Y the day of the event.