On Thursday Cameron Montgomery marked his hundredth donation of blood or plasma to the Red Cross’s Blood Service and his 16-year-old daughter Jade donated for the first time. 

The Loreto student said it was an easy way to help out in the community. 

“Seeing dad doing it and hearing about all his workplace doing it, it’s like why not?” she said. 

“It’s not that big of a deal, and it helps so many people. It’s definitely worth it.” 

Mr Montgomery said he was a regular donor for a personal reason as well as to take part in a work program at the City of Ballarat. 

“A good cause in the sense that you’re actually giving back to the community, and it doesn’t take much effort to give that outcome that can really affect other people’s lives,” he said. 

“If anything it came from the fact that when Jade was little she had to go to the Royal Children’s Hospital and then you see where that sort of thing is needed all the time.” 

And timing is a big thing for the Blood Service. 

Colin Littlejohn from the Red Cross said coming into winter they needed new donors to help out. 

“In the winter with cold and flu season our regular donors can’t donate, so we need to encourage new people (to come in) all the time,” he said. 

“The thing with blood is it’s a constant supply. Sick people don’t take holidays.” 

Mr Littlejohn said Jade would also be able to help with this as a Red Cross ambassador. 

This means she’ll promote blood donation at Loreto. 

Mr Montgomery said the corporate Red Cross programs had shown getting advocates out in the community worked well. 

While he and Jade were preparing for their donations, two other City of Ballarat employees arrived at the Red Cross on La Trobe Street. 

That level of participation got them almost to the top of all councils in the country for donating blood last year.