Students help Red Cross collect blood
Liquid Gold
Karen Peterson photo
Arlee National Honor Society students host a much needed blood drive for the third year in a row.
Karen Peterson photo
Laine Charlo, 18, double-tasks by working on his computer while he gives blood.
Karen Peterson photo
Julie Kieckbusch Jones of the American Red Cross explains the details of the blood drive to some of the National Honor Society students organizing the event
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ARLEE – Blood drives often happen all over the valley to help hospitals in their efforts to save lives, and the Arlee High School’s National Honor Society hosted one on March 24.
“You can’t manufacture blood,” said Julie Kieckbusch Jones of the American Red Cross. “We get it from generous donors. We need to collect 700 pints in a week in Montana. The blood only lasts for 42 days, and we can’t freeze it, so we have to continuously hold blood drives. Schools have been fabulous supporters to help organize these events.”
This is the third year the Arlee NHS has hosted a blood drive. The group helped find donors to attend the event. Each donor gives one pint of blood.
“The average person has ten pints,” Phlebotomist Harry Hutchinson with the Red Cross said as he prepped a blood bag for the next donor. “Donating only takes about eight to ten minutes,” Hutchinson said.
People often worry that it will hurt.
“It’s more like a burning feeling than a stinging,” he said.
Senior Laine Charlo, 18, donated for the first time.
“To help save a life, that is the best feeling in the world,” he said of his reason for donating. He was a little nervous as he sat with his feet up waiting for the needle.
“It wasn’t that bad,” he said when he was finished.
Students from age 16, with parental consent, donated during the event, and several adults signed up to give blood. Logan Potts, 19, donated last year while he was in school. The event inspired him to continue donating.
“What if I need a blood transfusion and nobody donates? People need to help, and it doesn’t really hurt. The worst part is sitting here,” he said of the required 15-minute wait to ensure a person doesn’t have any problems after giving blood.
To sign up for the next blood drive in the valley, register at redcrossblood.org.
