Walking Blood Bank -- Two hundred sixteen donations, averaging four times a year for 52 years, for a total of 27 gallons. That is how much blood Tom Downes of Winnsboro has donated to the American Red Cross since the fall of 1959, beginning at the age of 22. My dad was a beat cop in Chicago, and one time he needed 13 pints of blood,” Downes said. “That got my attention. I started giving blood shortly after that.” Downes, 74, received pin number 27 on Thursday, and he explained that each pin represents 8 pints (1 gallon). Each pin is numbered on the front. He says his blood type is O-positive and he goes to the Red Cross Headquarters in Columbia. Asked if he is going to stop now that he has given so many gallons, Downes didn’t stop to think before he answered. “Oh, no,” he said with conviction. “I’ll keep going!”