Shreya Thakkar

News Editor

The bi-annualy community-wide blood drive will be on Saturday, Nov. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the fieldhouse foyer. The blood drive  is held by Service Club in conjunction with LifeSource. Anyone over the age of 16 and who weighs at least 110 pounds can donate. Furthermore, three seniors who successfully donate will be awarded $500 scholarships.

The drive used to be held by National Honors Society during the school day. However, they stopped hosting it. Then in November of 2009, Service Club started it back up.

This will be Service Club’s fourth year hosting this event. According to Service Learning Coordinator David Jacobson, the drive is for a good cause and encourages students to participate.

“It’s a really good cause,” Jacobson said. “Plus, during the holiday season fewer people donate so there is a shortage of blood, so that helps. Hopefully people who do it will have the experience and will continue to do it for the rest of their lives.”

So far, 37 students have signed up to donate, and Service Club’s goal is to reach 80 donors. Usually, the Club gets 80-90 donors.

Senior Reid Dahlstrom had donated at both blood drives last year, and believes it is a pretty straightforward process.

Donors just have to make an appointment, come in at that time, fill out some paperwork, get a mini-physical to make sure that they are able to donate blood, and then get their blood drawn. If they are a senior, they also can fill out a raffle ticket, and at an assembly in April, three raffle tickets will be drawn to win a $500 scholarship.

Dahlstrom first started donating last year, and was inspired to do so by his dad.

“My dad has been doing it for a while, so he kind of gave the the first push then I got into it myself,” Dahlstrom said. “I got into it last year, and I kind of feel like it’s my duty to give back to the community because I’m well and able,” Dahlstrom said.