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| Photo by junior Katie Hay |
Fall blood drive a success despite student illness
 The student club Athletes Committed to Excellence ran yet another successful blood drive, despite the number of students who were turned away due to illness and other reasons.
More than 40 students who signed up to donate blood were sent back to class on Nov. 5, primarily because of their runny noses and other cold-like symptoms. This is the highest rate of denials the school has ever experienced.
Even so, students and faculty members donated a combined 273 pints of blood, said P.E. teacher Mike Gedville, who sponsors A.C.E. with colleague Ray Gialo. Gedville encouraged students who could not participate in the in-school drive for whatever reason to consider donating offsite with LifeSource at the Gurnee location at their convenience.
P.E. teachers prepped their students for the blood drive in weeks prior by inviting a representative from LifeSource to speak during class. They also used class time to discuss how the process works and why it is important.
In an effort to make the event run more smoothly, the blood drive was moved to the main gym. In past years, it has been held in the small gym, which was beginning to feel cramped as the number of participants continued to grow. Additionally,
this change decreased the amount of time it takes for donors to run through the entire process.
A.C.E. also was grateful to have the help of administrative assistant Stacy Messner, who keep accurate attendance records for students as they enter and leave the gym throughout the day. Another blood drive is scheduled for the spring. |
