Associated Students, Inc. (ASI), BloodSource, and Nu Alpha Kappa hosted the final blood drive of the fall semester on Nov. 28 and 29. Hundreds of students came out to donate for a worthy cause.
Blood that was donated will help out those on the East Coast who were affected by Hurricane Sandy. A single pint of blood, which is the standard amount that is donated, can save up to three lives.
“I don’t have any family on the East Coast, but I wanted to donate for that reason,” Shekinah Ramirez (senior, Psychology) said. “I try to donate as often as I can.”
Students stuck out the long wait time on Wednesday afternoon.
“It was slow in the beginning, but it has really picked up,” Abie Lee, registered nurse with BloodSource, said. “I came to the last blood drive at this campus, and it is definitely busier this time than the last time we were on campus.”
Students who donated received a free T-shirt and were entered into a raffle for a $50 VISA gift card. Snacks and refreshments were also provided after completing their donation.
“Of course I wanted to donate for a good cause, but I also like getting free snacks and refreshments afterward,” Daniel Brown (freshman, Undeclared) said.
The event also included a bone marrow donor registration. Bone marrow donors are especially needed because bone marrow transplants can treat leukemia and various genetic disorders, including sickle cell anemia and immunity deficiencies.
A total of 146 people donated a pint of blood over the two days and 16 people registered to be bone marrow donors.
Students are encouraged to attend future blood drives next semester.
“We take any blood type, but having O negative is always useful because anyone can receive that,” Lee said.
For information on future blood drives, contact the ASI Wellness Program!