New Red Cross club takes over blood drive

Students of PHS came out on December 1, 2017, to donate blood to the American Red Cross, donating a total of 30 pints, equating to 90 lives potentially saved. The blood drive, hosted by the PHS American Red Cross club, was held in the old gymnasium, with stations set up and facilitated by volunteer staff from the Red Cross.

The blood drive is not a new event to Poolesville, though in the past it was hosted by the SGA. Starting from this year, all responsibilities have been transferred over to the club.

President Alex Jin said she started the club “to give students the opportunity to make a difference in their community and make a broader impact around the world.”

Though the blood drive got off to a slow start, with Wi-Fi network complications with the equipment in the beginning, students filed in at various times throughout the day, packing the small gymnasium.

“I was really nervous and shaky, [but] as soon as the needle went in though I was totally fine and it was painless. The Red Cross club did a good job of providing distraction,” said junior Gwendolyn Boe, a donor.

“I wanted to help people who needed it. It could be the difference between life and death for some people,” says Boe, who has since received an email from the American Red Cross thanking her and informing her of where her blood was sent to help a patient in need.

“There will be another blood drive coming up in March, and we hope to get more people signed up,” says junior Alex Jin, president of the American Red Cross club. “We want to have more slots available and try to get more people volunteering and helping to draw blood.”

The blood drive is just one of many activities that the Red Cross club organizes. “Along with the blood drive, we also fundraise to help with relief efforts [for hurricanes and wildfires], do community preparedness, hold drives for the homeless, and send holiday cards to veterans,” says president Alex Jin.