Every day, someone in the United States needs blood, making donations crucial for saving lives. Blood drives also play an important role in ensuring that hospitals and clinics have the necessary supplies to treat patients in need. On Monday, students came together in the practice gym for a special blood drive. The event aimed to collect much-needed blood and raise awareness about the importance of donating to those in need. It was a life-saving mission; the donors didn’t just give blood, they helped save lives.
The event was organized by Mr. Lopez and Student Council member, Jacob Lopez. When asked what inspired him to host the blood drive, Lopez replied, “To help those in need while also showing students what we can do to organize and help the community.” It was also super easy for donors to sign up and participate. Students had to sign in, answer a few questions about their health, sit and wait for about 10 minutes to have blood drawn, then recover with snacks and water.
Even though donating blood is generally safe, everyone’s body reacts differently. Some people may walk out feeling just fine, while others may experience unpleasant side effects. To ensure everyone has a safe recovery, Mr. Lopez says, “We have Red Cross professionals in the gym making sure everyone is healthy enough to donate and monitoring the donors closely to make sure they’re okay.” Thankfully, no one experienced any of these side effects and the blood drive went smoothly.
This is the second blood drive of the school year, and there were 37 donors signed up, with a few walk-ins. The first drive took place at the start of the school year, as Student Council organizes two drives each year. Mr. Lopez mentioned that their initial goal was 18 pints of blood, but they exceeded expectations significantly. As a result, donors will be treated to pizza on Thursday, March 27th.
Overall, the blood drive was a success. Being a blood donor is one of the most impactful ways you can contribute to your community. Every donation can help multiple patients in need. It just takes 10 minutes to help save a life, so if anyone was thinking of donating blood this year and decided not to, Student Council encourages you to consider it next time.
