The annual blood drive, hosted by the American Red Cross, will be on Tuesday, October 17. The Leesville gym will soon go from being a place of athleticism to being a makeshift hospital. An area full of blood pouches, donor cots, and snacks is to be expected on the day of the blood drive.
The American Red Cross blood drive is held every year at Leesville. It gives many students and faculty members the opportunity to contribute to a greater cause by simply donating a pint of blood. Upon arrival, donors are given two options: to donate a whole blood donation or to donate double red cell. The whole blood donations are among the most common at Leesville.
“[Like most people] at Leesville, I prefer to give a whole blood donation because the process is a lot quicker and [personally] easier on me because it can suck having to sit longer,” said Kyle Arbutina, junior. The process of the whole blood donation usually takes about 10 minutes, whereas the double red cell donation takes about 25-30 minutes.
There are also first time donors who are not too sure what to expect once they arrive to donate. “I missed the deadline last year, but now that I’ve got all the paperwork turned in, I’m just ready to make an impact,” said Nathan Bowyer, Junior.
For those who don’t know, the donation process is quite simple. Upon arriving to the gym for donations, donors are registered. Once students have signed in, they are set up to donate and are later given snacks to replenish the nutrients lost after their donations.
The blood donations received from Leesville High truly makes an impact, no matter how large or small. It goes without saying, a single donation of blood could help more than just one person in need of it.
