It’s that time of year again!  Students have signed up to go to the auxiliary gym and participate in donating their blood to be used to help save up to three lives per donation.

 Twice a year the school and the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks team up to provide students (over 17 or with parental consent) the chance to donate their platelets.  Overall, it’s a big event that gets a lot of attention from everyone.  Some students are excited to participate while some are absolutely opposed to letting someone stick a giant needle into their arm.

 For many students, this is their first time ever donating. Among those who donated was sophomore Daniel Sedrick.

 “I wanted to do this so I could help people who need what we have,” said Sedrick.  “Why not give away what my body already makes to people who need it?”

 Most people donating for the first time have mixed feeling about it.  Senior Haley Reynebeau was one of them.

 “I’M FREAKING OUT!” said Reynebeau initially, but “I’m glad I did it.”

 Some people have other motives, like Senior Mercedes Schmidt.

 “I’m glad to give blood.  I mean, if Jesus gave his, I can give mine,” said Schmidt.

 While some people have good experiences with this type of thing, some are not so lucky and catch the side of the processes that many people fear; fainting.

 Junior Ellie Williams received first hand experience on this.

 “It was all going great until I started to feel my legs fall asleep,” said Williams. It was the first time I’ve ever done this so I really didn’t know what to expect and people kept on asking me if I felt okay.  Then I started to get tunnel vision and passed out… But I guess the bright side is that I get as many cookies as I want!”

 More than often, students don’t have this kind of side affect .

 Among the crowd was the Executive Director of the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, Mr. Don Thomson checking in on how things were going.

 “I just came by to supervise, and I just wanted to say that you guys have a beautiful school; from the people to the teachers. I’m happy to be here,” said Mr. Thomson.  “The donations you make today help someone tomorrow.”

 By the end of the day the blood drive approximately 120 people had tried to donate.  In all, 103 units (almost 13 gallons) of blood had been donated.