This week, July 26 to August 1, is National Blood Donor Week and for the past 18 months the Australian Red Cross Blood Service (ARCBS) has encouraged blood donors to register their work place, community or sporting group to enable an accurate donation tally to be kept. 

The ARCBS claims every donation made has the potential to save three lives.

The BBB, who takes part in winter ocean swimming when the water is at its coolest, registered its name. 

The ARCBS required some convincing that such a group actually existed.

Two further blood donations within the next couple of weeks by the BBB will see their tally surpass 100 lives saved.

Each of these donations has been for plasma and has occurred at the Canberra donation centre. 

Without access to a taxpayer-funded helicopter service, each donation entails a 7.5 hour, 530km commute of up Clyde and down Brown Mountain. 

Dodging errant kangaroos, wombats, fog, snow and ice in winter all adds to the day out.

So the secret of winter ocean swimming is revealed. 

It's not foolhardiness or bravado that protects the four or five regular BBB swimmers from the cold each Sunday morning, it's the warm inner glow that comes from knowing someone in Australia is alive due to their commitment.