On Aug. 23, Saratoga resident Anthony Cochrane will be holding a community blood drive as part of his Eagle Scout project.

"I knew that while I was in high school, I wanted to do something to help in the community, something more than donating just a few hours or working along with a large group," said the Life Scout with Boy Scout Troop 407 in Cupertino.

Cochrane definitely spent more than a few hours on this project—he spent more than six months gathering information from and contacting blood donors interested in helping with the event, finalizing plans with his scoutmaster and the district advancement committee, getting approval from troop sponsor West Valley Presbyterian Church to use its facilities and recruiting potential donors in the community.

Cochrane said that the coordination process was a little more complicated than he had anticipated, but the purpose makes it worthwhile. He said he came up with the idea of organizing a blood drive after he found out that his aunt, who was diagnosed with breast cancer, and his father's late friend needed blood.

"I found out that the Bay Area has a shortage of blood," said Cochrane. "I thought it would be good to help out. If we can help save even one life, that would be more valuable than anything else I can think of."

Eagle Scout is the top rank any scout can earn. According to Scoutmaster Larry Grace, less than 2 percent of the scouts reach the Eagle level.

Cochrane's mother, Kary, said she is proud of her son for coordinating the event.

"This is more beneficial than many other projects," she said. "It will help bring the community together for a good cause."

His father, Don, who has donated blood for the past 25 years, said he was impressed when he learned about his son's project, but was not surprised.

"He has always wanted to do something helpful in the community," said Don. "This is the perfect opportunity."

The blood drive will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Valley Presbyterian Church at 6191 Bollinger Road in Cupertino. Blood Centers of the Pacific, a nonprofit organization that distributes blood to 38 Bay Area hospitals, will manage the donation. Interested donors can also schedule appointment times by calling 408.446.4762 or emailing Anthony at antcochrane@hotmail.com.