This week, all students and staff have the opportunity to help save lives.  Each of you can make a huge difference.

FACT: One donor’s blood can save up to three people’s lives.

This year’s annual blood drive, hosted by the National Honor Society (NHS), will be held on Wednesday March 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the high school gym. Permission slips are available during all lunches and in adviser Ms. Moira Loughman’s room (C 111).

“The blood drive is in the honor of Mr. Jay Effross who used to be a teacher here,” said Ms. Theresa Onody, former NHS adviser.  Effross was a well-respected teacher and coach at SHS, who died suddenly in 1997 at the age of 47.

NHS members help with lunch tables and appointments and they donate food for donors after they give blood.  They help set up the gymnasium and also help the day of blood drive with registration and more.  They will also escort donors and oversee the snack table.

“There is always a steady amount of students who sign up but that doesn’t mean each drive yielded the same amount of blood donated, because it depends from drive to drive who’s eligible,” said Onody.

Donors have to be a certain height and weight to even be eligible to give. All of the other information can be located on the parent and donor packet NHS members hand out.

All donations are tested for diseases like HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. All donors are notified about the results and get a card with their blood type on it. They separate the blood into red blood cells, plasma, and the platelets.