Campus Minister Kelly Waters has organized the next blood drive for Notre Dame Academy on January 22.

Students have to be at least 16 years old to donate, and 16-year-olds must have their parents sign a consent form.

Junior Wally Lulloff and senior Izzy Fergus will serve as youth coordinators again. 

For this drive, the goal is to get at least 30 donations.

Every donation can save up to three lives, so meeting this goal is crucial.

This upcoming drive and the rest of the drives this year will be held in the Alumni Gym instead of the mobile unit parked outside of the atrium.

Waters explained that the location change was to accommodate adjustments in the Community Blood Center’s schedule.

“The Community Blood Center is lengthening the time for all of their drives,” Waters said. “The extra time would have conflicted with the end of 7th period (and senior release), so the parking lot would have been an issue with the mobile unit.”

Waters also emphasized the importance of blood donation, explaining that donated blood directly supports people in critical medical situations.

“Blood cannot be made in a lab, so donations are imperative for anyone needing blood, such as cancer, surgery, trauma patients and people who lose blood as a result of something routine like giving birth. All blood gets used and the CBC provides blood for our local hospitals,” she said.