The blood drive is back! Tuesday was another successful day with 67 volunteers donating blood and their time to help save lives.

Also, three volunteers helped run the blood drive conducted in the Alumni Gym. During Catholic Schools week this illustrates the mission statement at Notre Dame Academy and is a way to be a  community living out God’s words.

In the words of Campus Minister Dan Kriegl, “We are donating ourselves, literally ourselves, to help someone else in need.”

You may wonder what motivates individuals to participate in this cause.

Senior Andrew Gruesen said,  “I know the Red Cross has a big shortage, so I figured with the flu season, this would be a good idea to donate blood. I’m very blessed with the blood I have.”

Claire Keni, Claire Stebor and Mrs. Shelly Cowans volunteered to spend the day checking in individuals and making sure everything followed plans. Both Claires unfortunately could not donate blood, but still wanted to be part of the cause.

Mrs Cowans was able to give blood and said, “Donating blood is a great cause in saving lives, and if I can take a few hours out of my day to help keep this running, I’m willing to do it.”

Kriegl said he is appreciative of the many volunteers who come forth and donate blood. “The donors we get from the announcements and at lunch. The kids at Notre Dame are pretty good with donating blood, I’ve got to give them credit,” said the campus minister.  “Takes one day, and the list is full, and that’s one thing I’m proud of, proud of the kids.”

Shawn Captna, who headed up the Red Cross team at NDA, talked about the positives of collecting blood from donors.  “We find it very gratifying,” he said.  “There are not many careers out there that you can go home to everyday and say ‘I saved a life today.'”

Captna said the Green Bay area itself is not in a desperate need for blood at the moment but what is collected here aids the whole country.  The Red Cross is  “advertising nationally we are in need of blood. It all depends on the demands of the hospitals, so we try to fulfill the orders per area depending on the hospitals’ needs.  Once their inventory increases, it spreads across the nation.”