Blood Drive Returns to OHS

The Carter BloodCare blood drive is coming back to Olney High School on Nov. 13. It will be held in the foyer of the high school gym with the blood drive buses also parked in front of the gym for both students and the community to donate. The drive will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will be run by members of the National Honors Society.

According to Carter Bloodcare, only 3% of eligible Americans donate blood, so all who are eligible are encouraged to donate.

“Students must be at least 16 to give blood, and they must have a parent permission form signed,” Lani Caffey, NHS sponsor, said. “Those 17 and older may donate without parental permission. All students will need a form of photo ID. If a student does not have that, we can help them out. Just let me or Coach Pace know.”

There are many benefits to donating blood as a student if you’re eligible. “Seniors who participate in two drives receive the ‘Red Cord’ recognition at graduation,” Caffey said. “Each student who donates will also receive a Carter Blood Care t-shirt. One donation can save up to three lives.”

Olney High School will also be involved in the Carter BloodCare Impact Award Program for a chance to win a $1,000 grant. “Carter BloodCare, the local nonprofit blood center for North, Central, and East Texas, awards this grant to school groups who host three blood drives during the school year and achieve their goal for each blood drive,” Efrain Frias, consultant at Carter Blood-Care, said in a press release. “Students at Olney High have made it their mission to collect 130 units of blood, which will give them a $1,000 grant, and impact 390 lives locally.”