On April 17 Red Cross Eagles hosted their third blood drive of the school year.  

The Red Cross Eagles plan on doing more blood drives in the upcoming school years. The blood collected from the drive was sent to Red Cross’s main office in Dallas to be distributed. The drive was from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“The Red Cross Eagles club has two blood drives in the fall and two blood drives in the spring,” Red Cross Eagles sponsor Laura Reams said. “This past year we  had one in the fall and two in the spring, our goals is to have two each term.”

Blood drives help people who are in need of blood, such as those who have suffered through a severe injury or even because of an illness.

“I believe blood drives are important because [they] really give people an opportunity to make a difference in their community, and I guess in the world, depending on where the blood goes after that,” junior Sarah Azam, Red Cross Eagles president, said. “It really gives them a chance to see the impact that they can make, and it makes them feel good.”

According to the Red Cross website, every two seconds, someone needs blood in the United States alone.

“I know [blood drives] are important because they save lives,” Reams said. “When you have emergencies and catastrophes you need even more [blood], so they need to have an extra supply just in case.”

According to the Red Cross website, almost 21 million blood transfusions take place in the US a year.

“It’s important [to donate blood] because it makes a lasting impact on the world, or even your community,” Azam said. “A lot of people need blood, like right now.”

Azam and Reams agree that blood drives are important and that they help the community.
“I know they’re important because they save lives,” Reams said. “I don’t know the exact statistics, but blood is needed every single second someone in the country, in the world. I personally have had family members in the hospital that have benefitted from the blood available, it truly saves lives.”