Gallery • 8 Photos

Sam Helman

Left, senior Jackson Betette distracts himself as a Red Cross worker injects the needle to withdraw blood. He was one of many students to sit in the donator chairs this past Thursday.

“I’m giving the gift of life.” 

This slogan was stamped across the nametags of students at Richland Northeast; accompanied by red bandages and boxes of grape juice. On Thursday, October 27th, the American Red Cross held a blood drive at school, directed by science teacher Dawn Fluellen. The auxiliary gym was scattered with donor chairs, blood transfusion machines, blood bags, and blood pressure machines. 

Giving blood, while making many squeamish and afraid, is a significant way to give back to your community. To some, the blood that is provided is the means of life or death.

“These blood donations go to our local Red Cross, and they’re the store for blood transfusions, organ donations, and any other reason somebody would need blood,” Fluellen shared. “Anybody who might be anemic that would need a blood transfusion would receive their blood. It could be sickle cell anemia treatments, blood transfusion, or organ donations.”

The wait time was long; the needles were big; the gym was crowded, but students still gave. The rumors of donors going pale and passing out spread across the halls before donation day. So, why do they do it? 

 “I gave blood to support my community and I like to help people out any way they can,” senior Kenyin McBee said.

 “I wanted to find out my blood type and I feel like it’s nice to give when you can,” senior Jacob Marmolejo added. 

One pint may not seem like a lot, but Fluellen pointed out that in the long run, it serves the community greatly. 

“It’s a good feeling of helping somebody whether they know it or not,” she said, “but you would be helping somebody in need.”