By: Addie Gansauer
The National Honor Society hosted its annual February blood drive and saw a strong
turnout from students and staff.
A total of 92 units of blood were collected during the event. Although 16 people were
turned away and 9 donations were incomplete, the drive was still considered a success.
February is usually the biggest blood drive of the school year, and this year followed that
pattern.
In comparison, 17 units were collected at the August drive, and 57 units were collected in
October. The increase in February shows how much participation has grown.
The drive not only had a great turnout, but it also surpassed expectations.
“We exceeded our goal,” said NHS advisor Courtney Hayes, “Meeting and going beyond
the goal highlights the dedication of students who chose to donate.”
Planning for the blood drive began at the start of the school year when the dates were
tentatively set. Once the dates were confirmed, the rest of the planning process was simple and
organized.
“Once the dates are set, it does not take much to plan,” Hayes said.
Several strategies were used to encourage students to donate. Gift cards were offered as
incentives, students invited their friends to participate, and flyers were posted around the school
and community.
In October, a representative named Ann also visited to give a presentation about the
importance of donating blood.
NHS members played a major role in making the drive happen. They hung flyers,
recruited donors, and worked shifts throughout the event to keep everything running smoothly.
The blood drive was made possible through a partnership with the American Red Cross,
which helped coordinate and collect the donations.