Today, Convent & Stuart Hall hosted the first blood drive of the new year with Vitalant Health Care to donate blood for a variety of medical needs across the U.S. Donating blood is a way to make a contribution to your local community.
After hosting a total of 3 blood drives in 2023, the first of 2024 has commenced within the first few weeks of the new year. Put together by students and the organization Vitalant, this blood drive supplies the local community with much needed resources.There were around 35 students, faculty and families who donated to the dive today, according to junior Sophie Levy.
“The number of participants tends to vary throughout the year depending on the ongoing sports seasons,” said Levy. “Today there were around 35 participants, and the number usually averages around a number in the high twenties,”
Every 2 seconds in the U.S someone needs blood for medical services according to Vitalant. Even though Convent & Stuart Hall hosts multiple blood drives each year, every drive is as important as the next. Donating blood is such an amazing way to be an active helper in your community according to sophomore Piper Leffert.
“I have donated blood before and I definitely find the needles a little scary but knowing that I am an active helper in my community overwhelmed that fear,” said Leffert. “Donating blood is something everyone should try and do when given the opportunity,”
Donators are required to be at least the age of 16, while students 16-17 still require a parent consent form. While donating blood is a safe way to aid your community, donators are suggested to wait 24 hours until they fully engage in sports or extraneous activities according to Life Blood.
“I am 16 and this was my first time donating to a blood drive,” said sophomore Franchesca Lauderbach. “The nervous feeling that I thought I would have doing this aren’t there, probably because i’m just not scared of needles,”
The drive will be open from 9 a.m to 1 p.m held in the Stuart Hall gymnasium. Students will receive 10 hours of service for their much needed donations, as well as 2 hours for a parent that donates on their behalf.
“Currently there is a blood shortage so every person who donates is quite literally saving someone’s life no matter what they are donating,” said Levy. “Whether someone is donating platelets, plasma, or blood they are all so important to those who need them.”
