On Thursday, Feb. 13, The American Red Cross held a blood drive in the Esbjornson Gymnasium.

Gabrielle Johnson, a team supervisor with The American Red Cross, is passionate about volunteering for such an important cause.

“Blood saves lives,” Johnson said. “The more people that we get to come out and donate, the better.”

Johnson’s strong feelings about the topic come from her own personal experiences following a time in her life when she needed a blood donor.

“I myself needed three pints of blood when I had my daughter,” Johnson said. “You’ll never know when you’re going to need blood, along with your family members and loved ones.”

Student donors participating in the blood drive had similar feelings about the importance of the event. Marykate Reick, a freshman secondary education and chemistry major, was one of these students who stepped up to the plate to help save a life.

“[Donating blood] can really can make a difference in somebody else’s life,” Reick said. “It doesn’t really take too much time out of your day.”

Matt Green, a junior health promotion and wellness management major, also stressed the importance of donating blood.

“It’s important to me, because being in the national guard, I know how important getting blood is when you need it,” Green said. “I just want to be able to help people as much as I can.”

Due to the benefits of donating blood, Johnson stressed the importance of participating in events like this.

“It’s important to help out with the blood supply when you can,” Johnson said.

For those looking to donate blood, the next American Red Cross blood drive on campus will take place on April 9 in the Rec Center. 

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