NHS sponsors annual blood drive

Ezekiel La Mantia
Social Media/Photo Editor

German teacher Brent Mackey gives blood at the annual NHS blood drive, Nov. 12. This time around 62 people came to donate, and there were 40 successful pints donated. Photo by Jaden Fields.

National Honor Society sponsored a blood drive in the secondary gym, Tuesday, Nov. 12.

Started by Mercy Hospital and supported by schools all over the St. Louis County, the blood drive was a way to be involved in the community and help Mercy Hospital collect blood that will be tested and stored and eventually used for transfusions in surgeries or however the hospital sees fit.

Last year 100 people signed up to donate, and out of those 100, 68-69 were successful. This time around 62 people came to donate and there were 40 successful pints donated. Amy Rowland, Spanish teacher, was the main facilitator of this event.

“NHS did a great job facilitating. It’s our biggest on campus event of the year, and I’m proud because they helped recruit donors and run the event,” Rowland said.

Participants had to be 17 or older to donate or 16 with parents’ permission. There are no restrictions for who can donate if one can pass a basic health exam which includes if he/she doesn’t have a fever, he/she doesn’t have low iron, his/her heart rate is within a healthy range and he/she hasn’t recently traveled to a tropical area.

Senior John Sterbenz was one of the students who donated for the blood drive.

“My Spanish teacher (Rowland) said the blood drive was a thing, and then I decided to do it. I saw no reason not too,” Sterbenz said.
In addition to being donors and giving blood, NHS students helped run the event. These students were either assigned to the donor room where they stood with people giving blood for support or helped them walk to the refreshment table to build back up their strength.

Also “runners” went into classes to find certain students who signed up to donate and reminded them of when their time was and to bring them to the gym.

Senior Katie Gilker was one of many helping hands in the donation room.

“If you can’t give blood, this is also a good idea of how to help,” Gilker said.