The Strath Haven Student Council held a blood drive on Tuesday, February 25 to save lives and give students a chance to help others. The Red Cross sponsored the event in the high school gym.
According to Student Council President Ella Liberi, this is the first year the Student Council has held a raffle basket for students to enter if they donate blood. The Student Council also held a theme day and a photo shoot for participants. The intention was to motivate students to donate, reward them for their good deeds, and reduce the fear of donating blood.
“I read a lot of books throughout the day to help ease the nerves,” vice president Madison Benzing said.
The Red Cross has a team that provides the equipment and staffing needed to host a blood drive. Student Council’s main role is to promote it to the student body.
“They give us their systems, we have all the log-in information, and then we just help get students in and out as efficiently as possible,” Liberi said.
The National Institute of Health states that someone needs blood in the U.S. every two seconds, and a single donation can save up to three lives.
“It helps people feel proud of themselves. You did a really good deed and I think that’s a really great opportunity we were able to bring to the school,” Benzing said.
The Red Cross organization has a lot of similar blood drives in other schools and areas. Students who donated at Strath Haven can donate blood to the Red Cross again when eligible.
“I hope long after we graduate, the tradition continues to carry on and the student council members continue to work just as hard as they did this year to make it what it is,” Liberi said.
