Three times a year CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) and Park DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) host blood drives that are open to students of Park. These blood drives create opportunities for students to give back to the community and save lives. The first one of the year was a success, with an estimate of 78 lives that will be saved.
Business teacher and main blood drive organizer Abby Lugo said the blood drive is organized by students and spread by various Park networks.
“I have two students that have the lead on this who are Brenda Martinez-Herrera and Ingrid Kotnik,” Lugo said. “They are responsible for putting together park connections, slides, posters around the school and getting it in the 6425.”
Parent volunteer Molly Carpenter said the students and nurses were all very accommodating to the students and staff giving blood.
“The student volunteers seemed super helpful as people were coming up, and the red cross people running it seemed really welcoming and supportive of people,” Carpenter said.
According to Lugo, not only were the volunteers respectful, but the students giving blood were as well.
“When I gave blood the people that ran the blood drive said that our students were very well behaved and it was a really great school to be at and they really enjoyed being here,” Lugo said. “To me that was like the best thing that could happen in addition to saving lives.”
Junior Conner Sullivan said he had fun because in addition to saving lives, you also get a treat afterwards.
“I had a lot of fun because I got here early because I was already volunteering,” Sullivan said. “I guess the fun part is you can also get a reward for doing it besides helping people.”
According to sophomore Madi Abelson, it was her first time donating and she was excited to do so.
“I knew it was a great cause so I wanted to donate, and I’m only 16 so it’s my first time donating,” Abelson said.
Lugo said this blood drive is the first of three coming this school year, with the one in May open to the public.
“We do the blood drive every year and we host three different blood drives,” Lugo said. “This year we have one in December, February and May, and the one in May is a little bit bigger because it is the only one that is also open to the public for people to also come in and donate.”
Carpenter said donating blood is important if it is something you are capable of doing because hospitals are always in need.
“There is always a shortage and need for blood in hospitals around the country and if people are willing and able, it’s important to be able to step up to that,” Carpenter said.
According to Lugo, there is a blood shortage right now, so donations are very important.
“We are in a blood shortage right now, so even as high school students and staff, whatever we can do to help is very crucial,” Lugo said. “Yesterday if we collected 26 pints of blood, that saved 78 lives because for every blood donation that saves 3 lives.”
Although DECA and CNA want many people to donate blood, Lugo said there are specific qualifications for giving blood.
“You have to be 18 in order to give blood, or 16 with parental consent, and then there are a couple other things,” Lugo said. “You have to go through the questionnaire to pass it, and another big one is you have to weigh at least 110 pounds.”
