Blood Drive Participation Surpasses Last Year
November 26, 2008
On November 12th, there was a different kind of scene on Neuqua’s auditorium stage. Though there was no audience, the stage was occupied by nurses and students and an awful lot of talk about blood types. Out in the lobby, students were paying for their intermission snacks in a very unusual manner.What was really going on? The Sophomore Student Council’s blood drive. On the auditorium stage, nurses and Heartland Blood Center volunteers organized tables to screen potential donors, while students gave blood and recovered at the snack table in the lobby. Each student was given a pair of flannel pants and a calendar; each page of the calendar was a different story about how blood donations have saved lives with a picture of the recipient. The calendar was new this year, and it offered a way for donators to see what they can really do for other people’s lives. The student council spent about $400 in their give-aways: close to 200 pairs of pants and 200 calendars.
Of course, the pants, calendar, free food, and a period out of school are tempting enough, but this did not seem to be the donors’ leading motivation. The reasons for donating made up a broad spectrum, Rachel Buzenius, a Senior, said she donated because she planned to go into a related field, while Andrew Karapas said he gave because “I figure some one else probably needs it more than I do. I can always make more.” For some students, giving blood took courage. Karapas admitted that he fainted during the process, and it wasn’t his first time. Because he had low blood pressure, Karapas knew that it was a possibility, but chose to donate anyways. The nurses had multiple students faint throughout the day, but all of them recovered quickly and were able to continue with their day soon after.
Neuqua was motivated-the sophomore student council set the standards for their classmates high-185 donors high. “We strived to meet the goal, and we did, we had 185 sign-ups and a lot of walk-ins,” Mia Akers said. This blew away the Neuqua’s last donation which only topped out at 140 donations. The final count 183 units from able donors.
Steve Olson and Mia Akers, President and Vice President of the Sophomore Student Council explained why they put so much time and effort into the drive. “We believe that working for the community and the benefit of others is more important than anything else,” said Olson.
Donors also had a reason to believe in this positive impact. Blood donations are always needed; they contribute to the treatment of leukemia, anemia, cancer, hemophilia; preventing measles and hepatitis; and are used to replenish nutrients that shock victims or people in accidents may lose. While this is true, surprisingly, the downward spiral of our economy has also threatened the blood supply. Because 25% of the blood donations come from drives held at corporate companies, the economy indirectly affects the blood drive results. The Heartland Blood Center does four to five blood drives in one day and must get 500 units of blood each day in order to meet patients’ needs; Neuqua should be proud to have made their 183 unit contribution.
By Kelly Klus, staff writer
