The American Red Cross hosted a blood drive at Jefferson on Nov. 30.  This blood drive is organized every year by the Jefferson Red Cross Youth Task Force.

“The Red Cross Youth Task Force does service projects year round to help the community around us, [but] our most impactful [project] is the blood drive,” club liaison senior Sreya Mallipeddi said.

According to the American Red Cross, someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds; it’s essential for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses, and traumatic injuries. Blood and platelets can not be manufactured, so that is why volunteer donors are needed. To be eligible to donate blood, donors have to be at least 16 years old and in good health.

“Why not help someone get another chance at life if there are no consequences for me?” junior Khushie Matharoo said.

“I donated blood because even though it seems slightly unnerving at first, millions of people need blood transfusions every year, and I’m completely willing to experience just a small prick of pain to help someone survive,” sophomore Mallika Charagundla said.

This year, around 35 units of blood were donated, according to Mallipeddi. Each unit can save up to three lives.

“The experience was great, as the Red Ccross provided many snacks and drinks and the nurses made sure everything went smoothly,” senior Rohan Chaturvedula said.

“We are trying really hard to schedule a spring blood drive and will definitely make sure our capacity is much higher,” Mallipeddi said.

“My experience of donating blood was one I won’t soon forget; I was nervous at first, but I had such a fulfilling feeling afterwards and I felt like a made a difference, however small, in someone’s life,” Charagundla said.