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Red Cross
Blood Drive set for June 1
Need for blood increases with the arrival of summer
Make an appointment, roll up your sleeve, and do your part to
save lives and help earn a Red Cross High School Scholarship
Award for a HFM BOCES student. The American Red Cross Blood
Drive is scheduled for Wednesday, June 1, from 7:30 a.m.-12:30
p.m. in the HFM BOCES gymnasium.
 The Red Cross scholarship, worth $200-$700, is awarded
to a student from the health careers programs who is
pursuing a career in health care and continuing
post-secondary studies. HFM BOCES qualifies for the
scholarship by hosting at least two blood drives during
the year, and reaching a 25 percent student
participation level. The number of blood drives and
participation determines the amount of the scholarship.
In the October blood drive, 49 units were collected.
According to the Red Cross, that blood helped 147
people. The goal for the June date is 70 units. Because
the need for blood increases during the summer months,
the need to surpass that goal is evident.
Donating blood is quick, easy and safe. Anyone at least
17 years of age, or 16 with a parent's permission, is
eligible to donate. After a Red Cross representative
leads the potential donor through a health history
screening, the donor is directed to a bed, where another
Red Cross technician uses a new, sterile needle to
collect a unit of whole blood. The actual donation takes
about eight minutes.
New technology allows certain donors to give double the amount
of red blood cells in a single visit. Called “Double Red,” the
automated system is designed to safely separate blood into red
blood cells and plasma as it's being donated. The plasma and
other components, along with a unit of saline, are returned to
the donor, while twice the amount of red cells is collected than
from a standard whole blood donation.
Anyone interested in donating blood should contact HFM BOCES
nurse Kim Bursese at 736-4681, ext. 4656 to make an appointment.
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