Whilst workers from the Community Blood Center take the blood, it’s the job of hard-working students that help make the process easier.

Masses of work go on for weeks in preparation to make the blood drive happen. Led by Mrs. Breetz, the Honors Physiology and Anatomy One and CCP Physiology and Anatomy Two classes worked diligently to make the blood drive a success.

“I helped sort the dates for people donating, wrote thank you cards, brought peanut butter crackers, and helped at the snack table,” Senior Jillian Palomino said.

The student workers assisted people during the check-in and check-out process. They also directed donors to the pre-donation snack table where they would choose between Uncrustables, string cheese, Slim Jims, and peanut butter crackers.

“Mrs. Breetz runs the blood drive and the Community Blood Center comes in and has a specific routine that makes donating really easy,” Senior Ashley Waggoner said, “You walk in, get checked in, go through a screening, and then get to lay back and relax when you donate. Afterwards, there are lots of snacks to choose from and you get to relax and recover from the donation.”

After the donors would give blood the student workers would then direct them to the post-donation snack table where they would choose from some sweet food options. Then, donors would sit down and wait 15 minutes, while being monitored by the student workers, before going back to class. This is to ensure that they are feeling well and are not about to pass out.

“There is a shortage of blood in hospitals. So many people need blood donations but there is not nearly enough to go around. If I can save even one life by taking an hour out of my day, it's worth it,” Waggoner said.

The success of the blood drive would not have been possible without the hard working students who made posters, wrote announcements, filled out hallway passes, and made thank you cards. This year, the blood drive fell on National Waffle Day and to all of the donors:

“We appreciate you a waffle lot!” Palomino said.