Senior Katy McKee donates one pint of blood at the Montezuma High School blood drive. Each pint of blood can be used to save three lives. (Niamh Lyons photo)
by Niamh Lyons
According to the Blood Center of Iowa, the probability of a person needing a blood transfusion is 95 percent if he or she lives to be 72 years old, so it is easy to see donations are collected each year as blood supplies are used.
There are requirements for donors, like being healthy and being at least 16 years of age. Some donors decide to give “double red.” This means they donate twice the normal amount of blood.
Every year, students, staff and community donate blood at the blood drive held by the Torch Club, or National Honor Society.
Allison Pargeon is the new advisor for the Torch Club. Seniors in the group include Courtney Latcham, Shannon Sutfin, Teona Sutfin, Spencer Roorda, Kirk Salnave, Katy McKee, Calli Zimmerman and Alex Peck. Juniors are Stephen Vavroch, Kaylin Hansen, Nathan Wheeler, Natalie Wheeler, Austin Battreall and Aly James.
These students are in charge of setting up for the donation, bringing the donors to the gym and taking them back to class, making sure they ate and cleaning up the gym afterward.
The 2010 blood drive was held Nov. 5 in the high school gym. Thirty-two donors - students, former students, faculty and staff members - signed up.
The goal was to receive 30 units of blood and that goal was met from 28 donors. Last year, 38 units were collected from 50 donors.
No comments:
Post a Comment