Students can support community by donating blood

A blood drive will take place on campus Wednesday, April 21, open to parents and students over 16 years old. Students 16 or 17 years old who wish to donate blood must have their parents sign a form. The drive, organized by student leadership, seeks to benefit the community and raise awareness for those in need of blood.

Other blood drives hosted by FCS in the past supported students and alumni. Two of those drives (in 2011 and 2014, respectively) honored Fresno Christian student, Max Hinton, and Emily Krieghoff.

Teacher and student leadership advisor, Robert Foshee, assisted in the organization of this event. As an organizer of the past blood drives, he recognizes the importance of donating.

“I think blood drives are important because someone in our life will at some point be in need of a blood donation,” Foshee said. “One in every seven people entering the hospital needs blood and one pint can save up to three lives. By donating, you can help those you know and those you even don’t know in the community. It’s an easy way to support those in need.”

Leadership divided students into different groups, each group taking an event. Avery Loeffler led the blood drive group alongside other leadership students. These students consisted of Bella Johns, Skylar Higginbotham, Lindsay Logan, Mark Pimentel, Aubrey Graham, Zoe Bull, and Jake Wyatt. The group meets Wednesdays to discuss details and planning.

Loeffler and her group took charge of the event alongside Foshee. She understands the need for blood outside of FCS students. Loeffler takes part in leadership for her third year.

“This blood drive is important because there is a constant need for blood in our hospitals, especially because fewer people have been donating blood due to the pandemic,” Loeffler said. “In the past we have done blood drives in honor of FCS students or former students. While this upcoming blood drive may not be in honor of a student, there is still a need for blood outside of our FCS family.”

The Central California Blood Center requires donors to partake in a registration process. Aspiring donors must have a photo ID and a verifiable address. Before drawing blood, donors must complete a short health screening to make sure they can donate. The process of drawing one pint of blood takes 15 minutes. Refreshments are provided afterwards to replenish fluids. More information is found on the Central California Blood Center’s website.

Donating blood is a noble cause which helps others recover from all sorts of ailments. One pint of blood saves the lives of up to three people. Visit givingblood.org for more fun donation facts. Contact Robert Foshee for concerns or additional questions.

Brayden Iest can be reached via Twitter and email.