CMU Greek community hosts American Red Cross Blood Drive
Central Michigan University has created the biggest one-day blood drive at the university for the second year in a row.
As with last year, CMU Greeks came together during philanthropy week to host an American Red Cross blood drive Wednesday in the Student Activity Center. Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity member and Grand Blanc junior Harrison Coleman first contacted CMU alum and American Red Cross representative Lindsey Scheible, and together, the two made the event possible.
“It was such a big hit last year that we absolutely agreed to put it on again. To be able to save that many lives in one day is what we really need,” Scheible said. “We rely on 20 percent of our supply from students. It truly is a special event.”
Rather than putting on an event where Greek organizations compete against each other, CMU Greeks joined together. Scheible was impressed to see how Greeks working together on one team could make such a large difference.
“It impresses me to see CMU coming together. A lot of times, there is competing against each other, and this way they are one team working for a great cause,” Scheible said.
According to American Red Cross technician Heather Keyton, each donor gives one pint of blood, which can save up to three lives depending on the use.
“Each day is different. Sometimes we have a ton of donors, and other times we do not. Either way, the one pint really does make all the difference. It can save three lives,” Keyton said. “We store the donations, they have a 40-day shelf life, then we provide them to the general public. Hospitals contact us, and we provide.”
Volunteering for the first time was Flint senior Kylie Khan, an Alpha Gamma Delta sorority member.
“We advertise at the Greek week event hoping that a lot of Greeks will come out. We are aiming toward the Greek community,” Khan said. “Since it is philanthropy week, we are hoping to get Greek members to get involved with the spirit of giving. Our goal is to get 180 pints of blood.”
Bloomfield senior Lindsay Dougherty, an Alpha Chi Omega alum, donated for the first time on Wednesday.
“With recent events happening, the whole Boston marathon bomb attack inspired me to donate. Especially the fact that people that ran the marathon kept on running to the hospital to donate blood,” Dougherty said. “Giving blood was actually really easy, and I feel bad for not doing it before.”
Each donor must follow the same process despite the amount of prior donating experience, in which Illinois junior Myangela Jenkins has become familiar with.
“Anticipating the needle is the worst part, but it is over in like two seconds; definitely easier than the first time I donated,” Jenkins said. “I had enough time and figured I would save three lives today. I had been meaning to donate all year, and when I heard about it from my roommate ... I figured, 'Why not?'”
