On April 11 from 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. a blood drive will be held.

Senior Class Council, with help from other clubs, will host the event. Students will be able to donate a pint of blood each.

“It’s a great way to help the community out and make an impact,” said senior Jacob Davies.

With the help of Ms. Kim Biondo, students from age 16 and up will be able to donate their blood and save three lives each. The blood drive is held at school to give people another opportunity to donate.

Ozark Blood Center tries to get people to start donating young so they’ll continue the process as they grow up. Students the age of 16 must have a parent’s permission, but others do not need their permission to donate.

“It’s a way to save lives that’s easy to do. You don’t feel a thing, and it helps people,” said Ms. Biondo.

Both Ms. Biondo and Davies have been helped by blood donations in the past. Ms. Biondo’s own son had two transfusions. The first time was an emergency that required blood to be pulled from the donations but the second allowed Ms. Biondo herself to give blood to her son.

Davies suffered from an allergic reaction to the anesthetic he was given from a kidney biopsy. Davies was given two blood transfusions and without them he would have died from blood loss.

“It’s scary. You want your kid to be healthy and safe. You don’t want to see them in that kind of situation,” said Ms. Biondo.

Ms. Biondo has donated blood for 25 years religiously. However, due to a blood condition Davies is unable to donate. He will be there as a blood buddy, checking people in and out, and working as a blood runner with all the other helpers though.

Approximately 100-150 students donate blood each year. The blood goes to every hospital in Northwest Arkansas to be used on an as needed basis.

“It’s very important to donate. It’s life altering. People need blood all the time to survive, and it’s not just the people in accidents. It’s everyone,” said Ms. Biondo.