Buffalo High School participated in The Red Cross blood drive that took place on Friday, March 5 , that NHS hosted. Our High School reached a total of 125 pints of blood donated. Our list of students who signed up reached to 174 students, although 147 people were able to come in to donate , 26 people were deferred due to low iron levels, not fitting height and weight requirements,hemoglobin, high blood pressure,or having a cold.
This year there were five incomplete donations; two patients had difficulty giving blood, the process was moving too slowly, and three students asked to stop donating prematurely. Buffalo High School had 99 first time donors this year! 18 double celled donors volunteered and nine were able to donate.
NHS began setting up for the Blood Drive in the main gym in our high school at 6:30 a.m. to set up tables, chairs, food, and juice for students and teachers after donating blood. The Red Cross blood donation started at 8:00 a.m. with 12 beds and 16 nurses to take blood and others to help label, organize and package blood. At 3:00 p.m. our blood drive ended. ” I think it went well this year, and every year we learn something new; we over booked and thats why we had to cancel appointments. Over all i think it went really well, i am very happy that we had 99 first time donors.” said NHS advisor Brigitta Bergquist.
After The Red Cross finished up, NHS cleaned up the gym and The Red Cross Donation Vehicles headed to St. Cloud,and from St. Cloud the blood is distributed to Central Minnesota.
Because Buffalo High School donated 125 pints, we are receiving $1000.00 in Scholarships. How the scholarships will be given is expected to be determined in the next couple of weeks.
In the future, Buffalo High School would like to have two blood drives, one in the fall also. The more donations we get, the more scholarship money given to help our students.
