Every year, CHS’ ASB partners with the Red Cross to invite students to participate in three blood donation drives on campus. During the second drive of the year, expected to take place on Feb. 7, ASB anticipates a shortage in participation in the blood drive.
The blood drives are organized every year by ASB’s Club and Community Outreach Commissioners. This year, senior Sean Cooper and sophomore Gia Parker are manning the position.
“This is [Cooper and I’s] first year in ASB. We’re the Clubs and Community Outreach Commissioners at school,” said Parker. “We did a blood drive in September and this is our second time doing one. We have another drive this April.”
The ASB reps expect a lack of participation for the drive tomorrow. They have labeled multiple reasons as to why CHS students don’t want to donate blood, ranging from not knowing that the drive is happening to outright not caring to donate.
“Most people don’t pay attention when ASB publicizes [event information],” said Parker. “Not just the blood drive, but events at school in general. Students have a lack of enthusiasm.”
“I think honestly, no one is interested in donating… no one understands what you’re really doing when you donate blood,” said Cooper.
The expected lack of involvement coincides with the blood shortage occuring nationwide as blood drive participation wanes.
“The representatives at the Red Cross said participation has been declining a lot throughout all the high schools, not just Calabasas,” said Parker.
In order to welcome more participants, the Outreach Commissioners have worked to advertise the drive throughout campus.
“We promote through posters and fliers on campus,” said Parker. “We put it in the homeroom announcement slideshows weekly. There are also announcements on the PA system, through Instagram, and parent square,” said Parker.
The commissioners and Red Cross have also introduced incentives look to counter the lack of donations and bring participation levels back to those of years’ past.
“Last year there was more participation than this year. I feel like the participation should be higher this year because we have a blood shortage,” said Cooper.
The “incentives” include different snacks, merchandise, and even gift cards in order to motivate students to participate.
“Participants get donuts, pizza, and other snacks. You also get a t-shirt from the Red Cross and for this blood drive, they’re giving away 20 dollar amazon gift cards,” said Cooper.
Both ASB and the Red Cross hope to be proven wrong on the expected low turnout, and want to remind everyone of the impact that donating blood can have.
“Just one person donating blood helps hospitals save up to 3 lives,” said Cooper.
