The Saint Mark’s High School Fall Semester Blood Drive booked an outstanding 65 appointments and collected 52 units of blood on Thursday, November 6.
The drive was hosted by the Saint Mark’s High School National Honor Society Optimi Chapter and led by executive officers, President Jack Haley, 17, Vice President Cassidy Dolan, 17, and Secretary Christina Bowers, 17, ll seniors at Saint Mark’s.
Jack managed the café and directed students to the registration table while Cassidy and Christina donated blood. “My brother always did it [at Saint Mark’s], and he convinced me to do it,” said Cassidy, a first-time donor. “He was part of National Honor Society too, and I wanted to do it.”
For Christina, this was her third time donating blood. “I like that it’s for a good cause. You get a cool T-shirt, and we get service hours,” Christina said. “So, why not?”
As they donated blood and volunteered at the blood drive, Saint Mark’s students also took photos with green flag props, highlighting Blood Bank of Delmarva’s clever “Green Flag” campaign, which aims to reframe donating blood as a cultural green flag.
In addition to the army of Spartan students donating, there were some staff donating as well, including Saint Mark’s High School President Patrick Tiernan, Deacon Patrick Johnston, and Erin Dugan, from the Office of Advancement.
“I always tell students giving blood is the easiest lifegiving gift to make,” Tiernan said. “For us, it just lines up with faith, excellence, humility, and integrity, and to give back to the community in a fun, engaging way.”
Deacon Johnson used to work in emergency services, and he appreciates that Blood Bank of Delmarva has now partnered with local paramedics to administer prehospital whole blood. “I was at one time a first responder, and I volunteered in the ER at Saint Francis Hospital, so you see the benefits of people getting blood when they needed it,” he said.
Saint Mark’s senior Lauren Daly, 17, and junior Sydney Ellis, 17, both donated for the second time on Thursday. “I don’t know, just thinking about it helping other people makes me feel good,” Laruen said. “It just feels like I’m doing a good deed,” Sydney said. “It makes me feel good about myself.”
This blood drive also attracted several first-time, Spartan donors, including Saint Mark’s senior Sophia George, 17; junior Kylie Hughes, 16; and Samantha Price, junior, 16. “I signed up just knowing that it’s going to go to somebody who needs it,” Kylie said.
High school blood drives play a crucial role in educating students about the lifesaving importance of donating blood, while offering them a meaningful way to engage in community service. Students can also earn scholarship money through BBD’s High School Scholarship Program, which awarded nearly $22,000 in scholarships last school year to students across 40 area high schools.
To inquire about hosting a blood drive at your high school or community organization, click here. Blood donors can give every 56 days. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently lifted several blood donor eligibility restrictions. To view current eligibility guidelines, visit delmarvablood.org or call 1-888-8-BLOOD-8.
