The Saint Mark’s High School Fall Semester Blood Drive booked 63 appointments Nov. 9 thanks to the National Honor Society Optimi Chapter of the Spartans.
“We just pushed it,” said Honor Society President Jake O’Donoghue, a senior at Saint Mark’s. “We have monthly meetings. We advertised it. We had some people make posters and help us advertise. The whole school was eager to help out for a great cause.”
“I’m not saying it was easy,” said Lily Beverung, secretary of the NHS at Saint Mark’s. “There was some pushing we had to do, but it’s been really great.”
Saint Mark’s High School senior Gavin Bowers is vice president of the National Honor Society Optimi Chapter. He donated blood for the first time on Thursday.
“I have this philosophy where if you are able to donate, you’re good to donate,” he said. “You keep making more blood. Some people really need it.”
In addition, the fact that the Blood Bank of Delmarva lowered the minimum age to give blood to 16 opened up to a new pool of people, O’Donaghue said.
Saint Mark’s High School juniors Angel Rizzo, Anna Lovett, Ava Spence and Mackenzie Fanning donated for the first time as 16-year-olds.
The blood drive also attracted faculty and staff, including Director of Strategic Communications Maureen “Mo” Tyree and anatomy teacher Brian Venti.
“I tell me kids, you’ve got to give blood,” Tyree said. “I blame my parents. They always said, you’re blessed with a healthy body. You need to use it to do good for others. It’s a very small way that we can help everybody.”
This blood drive also traditionally draws in parents to donate, including Jacke’s mom, Catie O’Donoghue.
“I hadn’t donated since before I got married,” she said. “They had in the system under my maiden name.”
Blood Bank of Delmarva Director, Donor Resources Nicole Pineault and Director of Donor Recruitment Joanna Arat were impressed with the numbers at this drive coordinated by Account Manager Gia Rivera. They thanked Saint Marks’ for this stellar performance.
Arat hopes more high schools catch on to the fact that the addition of 16-year-olds this school year can bolster their numbers. She also hopes high schools will consider adding more blood drives to their schedules.
