RBHS hosted The American Red Cross Blood Drive in the auxiliary gym from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oct.13. The event was held in an effort to receive blood donations from at least 30 people for Columbia’s blood banks.
The participation of student donors in particular is important to the Red Cross, as they make up a large portion of the total Red Cross donors according to Abby Overstreet, the account manager for the local Red Cross center.
“We like to work with high school students and college students, and the student body that donates actually takes up 20% of our donations,” Overstreet said. “The Red Cross also offers a scholarship program for seniors at the high school level depending on how many units [the Red Cross] collects [from the students] at their blood drives.”
Kim Cornelius, Educational Diagnostician at RBHS has experienced firsthand the benefits of the readily available blood provided by the Red Cross for whoever may be in need of it.
“I have a daughter that had to have a blood transfusion this summer, […] so I was very thankful for the people that donated to give her blood,” Cornelius said. “[Because of the donations to my daughter] I just want to do the same for others.”
Considering her daughter’s need to receive transfusions, Cornelius said she recommends becoming a blood donor because of the benefits it can provide for others.
“[Donating blood] is such a great way to give back,” Cornelius said. “You never know who’s going to need [it] and when you’re going to need [it] or [if] somebody that you love is going to need blood […] so it’s such a great way to support other people.”
The Red Cross is constantly hosting blood drives and will continue to host them at RBHS throughout the year. The opportunity to become a donor is open to anyone above the age of 15 who wishes to help the Red Cross fill their banks.
“The next blood drive [at RBHS] is on Dec. 10,” Overstreet said. “Anyone willing to donate can sign up by visiting redcrossblood.org or can scan QR code flyers that will be around the school at the time of the blood drive.”
Did you give blood at the drive? Let us know in the comments below.
