Every year Notre Dame Academy’s Campus Minister Kelly Waters organizes on-site blood drives, and the first one this year will be Thursday, October 30, through the Community Blood Center. 

“The blood drive is important because there are so many people in this world in desperate need of blood,” said one of the student blood drive coordinators, junior Walter Lulloff.

The on-site blood drive also gives people a very easy way to give to others. 

Anyone over 16 is invited and encouraged to donate, explained Waters.  She added that 16-year-olds must have parental consent.

Last time 24 people donated at the NDA blood drive, and this October the goal is 33 donations.

“I chose to get so involved with the blood drive because my sister needed a blood transfusion when she was sick, and it made me realize that such an easy thing for some people to do can have a significant impact on others’ lives,” said senior coordinator Isabelle Fergus.

The sign up has been emailed to all the students, and the people in charge will add more time slots after they all fill up. 

Baking Club will include treats for everyone who signs up.

“To become a student leader, I just had to fill out a form, and I was chosen to be the student leader from the class of 2027. When it comes to the actual blood drive, my job is just trying to advertise the blood drive and encourage people to sign up,” said Lulloff.

One of the places Lulloff finds the most success is at lunch when  he walks around with a clipboard to every table and asks people if they want to donate. 

On the day of the blood drive he will help check people in and make sure they eat and drink after they donate. 

All of the blood stays locally for accident victims, cancer patients and surgical procedures.

“Every two seconds someone needs blood in the United States. Over 35,000 blood donations are needed every day,” said Waters.

Sign up here: https://donate.communityblood.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/42034