Every year, the Legacy High School Student Government puts on its annual blood drive. This year we were fortunate to interview Katie Kinch, one of the members on the Blood Drive Committee.

The Blood Drive is sponsored through an organization known as Bonfils, whose parent company serves 40 states and collects a total of 1.8 million donations a year. They’re able to take the donations from many blood drives and distribute it to people in need nationwide. Every person who donates has the potential to save three people’s lives, which is a great contribution almost anyone can make by simply donating blood.

This year, Katie told us that so many people signed up for the Blood Drive that they even have a half a page long waiting list, which shows so many Legacy students are able and willing to donate to this great cause. This year, the blood drive was held in the small gym, but, due to the large waiting list, I was told that StuGo would like to expand into the large gym in future drives.

The process of donating blood is extremely easy. It was explained to me that you can donate blood if you’re at least 16 years old, but you have to have parent permission if you’re under 18 years old. The night before the event, you’d get a text from StuGo reminding you that the blood drive tomorrow, and you only need to show up a few minutes before your appointment.

When you’re there, the doctors will do a few tests to make sure you’re healthy enough to give blood, like making sure you’re within the weight requirement and not running a fever. After this, you’ll be taken to a station to donate, where the doctors and nurses are really friendly and you can just sit there and relax. Afterward, StuGo will provide snacks and juice, and overall just help you recover from your donation.

“I would just encourage kids if they didn’t do it this year and if they are medically able to next year to donate because it really is an amazing thing to know that you saved three people’s lives.”

-Katie Kinch

Overall, the Blood Drive is a great event as students were able to donate and make a large difference throughout the U.S. We hope that future drives will expand to the large gym so StuGo can maximize the amount of blood that will be donated. And don’t forget to participate in the blood drive next year if you are able.