Going, going... #golm12

You've got about 10 minutes to get here.

Almost everyone sitting in the theater right now is a walk-in, and they seem to still be moving through at a steady stream.

Two thoughts on the score #golm12

First, We are ahead of last year's running total at hour seven by about 180. Last year, the final number was short by about 110. That sounds like cause for continued optimism.

Second, I get what they are trying to do with the baseball motif, but given the size of the numbers, wouldn't cricket have been more appropriate?

Still behind #golm12

Hour seven: 215.

That's at least less of a gap than in the last couple hours, but it's still less than Manchester's hour seven, which was 239.

1369 down, 600 to go.

What's in a number? #golm12

Steve Costello said that the number of pints counted for a certain hour is not necessarily the number taken during that hour.

"That number is the number of pints actually shipped out of the building, physically shipped and done," he said. "Everything those guys have on the table, or in a box that hasn't been closed and scanned into the computer yet, doesn't count. We may not be as far behind as we think."

I'd also note that the Paramount has filled up a bit since the post where I noted how empty it was. Costello said we're getting a decent flow of walk-ins.

"They've definitely been coming," he said. "The other three sites, I don't know. Remember the last inning's going to be more than an hour long. It's going to be from six o'clock to whenever we get the last body into the system."

Mo' walk-ins, mo' walk-ins, mo' walk-ins #golm12

The American Legion is now open to walk-ins along with the Elks Club and the Paramount, and I'm told donors are backing up there, which is being taken as a good sign.

View from the corner #golm

The Paramount is the emptiest it's been all day, and it's never exactly been full.

If you're thinking about doing a walk-in, there's plenty of room.

Falling behind some more... #golm12

Hour six just got posted and it's 228. New Hampshire got 274 at this point while last year's number was 194. The deficit is 63 -- last year at this time it was 159.

Total: 1154. 814 pints to go.

Some more numbers #golm

According to Red Cross spokeswoman Jecoliah Ellis, the Northern New England Region (that's Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire) goes through about 700 pints of blood a day. That means that the national record is less than three days worth of blood.

Ellis also said that of the first-time donors at last year's Gift of Life, about 31 percent have donated again at Red Cross events. She said that lines up with what they see nationally.

Worth the lack of a wait... #golm

Maryellen Gracehas been giving blood regularly for more than 30 years.

"I think it's very, very, very important," she said. "I had family members who needed to have blood, I have grandchildren and children. That's why I do it."

Donating alongside her husband, she said they moved through quickly.

"We always make an appointment and usually I have to wait, but I don't care," she said. "This was wonderful today. We had to wait 10 minutes, maybe 15." 

Walk-in to the Elks #golm

The Elks Club, previously reserved for appointments, is now taking walk-ins -- which we're going to need at this rate.