SCHOOL BLOOD DRIVE DONATIONS HIT A RECORD HIGH
More than 11,000 students and faculty signed up to donate during 2007-2008 school year
Click HERE for photos from the 2007-2008 school blood drive season.
NEWARK, DE - Students at 67 high schools and 9 colleges across the Peninsula provided more blood donations and attended more school blood drives this school year than ever before. A total of 6,684 donations were collected at 115 school blood drives from September 2007 to May 2008 - up more than 5% from 6,340 donations the previous school year.
"I am thrilled by the success of the school program," said Lauren Bacon, the Blood Bank's school program coordinator. "It's phenomenal to beat last year's numbers by more than 5% considering that too was a record-breaking year."
The program started in 1984 with just 140 donations at two schools. Today the program is critical for attracting younger donors to become lifelong blood donors. Currently less than seven percent of all Blood Bank members are under the age of 35. By giving first-time donors a good experience, the Blood Bank hopes to reverse this trend on Delmarva.
"The growing success of our school blood drive program shows that teenagers and young adults do care about the community and want to help," said Bacon. "Because of the tremendous support and cooperation among students, faculty and the Blood Bank staff, school blood drives consistently contribute eight percent of all the blood donated on Delmarva."
Students help plan and promote the drive, recruit donors, set up equipment and serve refreshments in the canteen during the blood drive.
Students, their families and friends can continue to give blood and get credit for their schools this summer by filling out a HERO card at any Blood Bank location through August 31, 2008.
