Junior Kayla Anderson wants to save lives.
Anderson, who is planning the first blood drive of the school year, with the help of the American Red Cross, wants students to know they can make a difference by donating blood.
The blood drive Anderson has planned is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday in Mabee Gym.
“With blood drives, with any charity, anyone can donate money to charity,” she said. “But, donating blood is actually directly saving lives, and people don’t realize that. Blood can’t be manufactured by anyone, so it’s really just up to a person to give it.”
Last year, Anderson was selected for a two-week program through the American Red Cross and NAIA Collegiate Leadership Program in Washington D.C., with 13 other students. Anderson and other students traveled for an all-expenses-paid trip where they learned about integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership.
“We were able to meet the President of the American Red Cross,” Anderson said. “We had workshops every day and learned about the importance of giving blood and donating it.”
Even before going on the trip, Anderson began planning for the blood drive.
“Our job was to come back and promote the American Red Cross and the Champions of Character,” she said.
While organizing the blood drive does take up a lot of time, Anderson has had support from her friends and the Baker community.
“I’ve put in, probably, at least 10 hours every week working with my Red Cross (representative),” she said.
Senior Carly Dickens has helped Anderson plan some of the event and has donated blood before.
“I just asked her what I could do to help out,” Dickens said. “We were really excited with the results … it really worked out great for everyone else, so we’re really excited about it.”
Ruth Sarna, director of student health services, also is encouraging students to donate and give up their time to donate blood.
“It’s a very humanitarian thing to do,” Sarna said. “To share with the needy and the people that are so in dire need of blood … there are, like, 10 pints of blood in our body. So, I think we can share a tenth of that. It’s kind of like tithing at your church.”
While Anderson will take a small break before starting to plan the next blood drive Jan. 21, she is still happy about the impact she, and other blood donors could have by donating.
“Needles don’t really scare me anymore,” she said. “Obviously the people that need (blood) are going through a lot more pain than me sitting in a chair for 15 minutes with a needle in my arm … we don’t ever really get to see the results in someone, like, who is getting the blood. But, just hearing the stories that you’ve actually saved someone, that’s my favorite part. Like, actually, potentially saving a life.”
