With 38 whole blood donors and nine who donated red blood cells only, 47 turned out for the school’s spring blood drive.
Students over age 16, staff and community members contributed to the drive, which was held in the little gym on Tuesday.
“We’ve had more sign up this time than we’ve had the last three years that I’ve been here,” said physical education and health teacher Shawna Zabinski, who coordinated the drive.
The drive was sponsored by the Students Against Drunk Drivers (SADD) organization and was a facet of the “destructive decisions” piece that members adhere to, Zabinski said.
“Part of the destructive decisions is helping others, so we took on the blood drive.”
Blood from the drive goes to a central Red Cross facility in St. Paul, said the Red Cross supervisor at the drive. There, red blood cells are separated from plasma, and white blood cells are filtered out. Platelets aren’t kept because they need constant agitation to be viable, something that has to be done at a special facility.
A sample of the donated blood is sent to a central out-of-state laboratory, where it undergoes 13 tests, some of which ensure the blood is safe to distribute. Other tests look for traits that make the blood desirable for specific recipients.
The processed blood is distributed all over the US. While the red blood cells can be stored for 45 days plasma, when frozen, can be kept for a year. The Red Cross typically stockpiles only a three-day blood supply.
Some donors only give red blood cells, but they can give two units instead of the one unit provided in the normal donation process.
Donors can track their blood to see where it ends up.
Above: One of the Red Cross workers checks on the donation of senior Henry Strobel.
Junior Greta Hahn holds up her bag of blood.
Senior Harley Connor always gets a photo of herself with her donation.
Morning intake workers included Allison Cink, Sam Wondra and Anna Kawatski-Klein.
Give blood. Get tacos! Seniors Jack Schloesser, Jacob Rohlfing and Logan Porter replenish at the food table after donating blood.
Steve Biehn (CHS 1963) was a Red Cross volunteer for the blood drive.
Administrative assistant Allison Stoffel relaxes during the donation process.
Senior Nathan Schmoll gives a thumbs up.
Senior Tanyon Hoheisel was happy to give blood.
Senior Caitlyn McCarthy relaxes on the cot during her donation.
Seniors Amelia Tauer and Emma Sweere checked in donors during the afternoon.
A Red Cross worker checks the blood flow of senior Micah Peterson.