MVCTC HOSA Gives the Gift of Blood Donation
ENGLEWOOD, Ohio - Community Blood Center gave thanks to the Miami Valley Career Technology Center Nov. 26. Not just for hosting a bustling blood drive on the eve of their Thanksgiving break. CBC honored MVCTC as the reigning high school blood drive champion in both student blood drive participation and donor loyalty.
Tuesday's blood drive was an opportunity for CBC to award $2,000 to MVCTC for winning two $1,000 High School Leadership Grants for the 2018-2019 school year. MVCTC claimed the top category of "Most Donors" and the award for "Red Cord Excellence" for the highest number of graduates who qualified for the Red Cord Honor Program.
MVCTC hosted two blood drives in 2018-2019 and totaled 407 donors. MVCTC graduated 122 seniors who earned Red Cords by registering to donate at least three times during their high school years.
"You stepped it up and had more than 400 donors," said CBC Donor Relations Director Tracy Morgan, who made the presentation in the biology lab filled with beds and donors for the blood drive. "And, you donated with so much frequency you also had the most Red Cord graduates."
MVCTC may well challenge for the top grant awards again in 2019-2020. Tuesday's blood drive totaled 222 donors, including 97 first-time donors and 159 donations for 98 percent of the collection goal.
MVCTC blood drives are sponsored by HOSA, the Health Occupations Students of America club and coordinated by HOSA advisors Paula Wathen and Emily Powers. It's become a tradition for MVCTC to host their fall blood drive during Thanksgiving week.
"We know what's on the shelves, we know it's a rough time," said Paula.
It's the whole school, not just health career students," said HOSA President and pre-nursing student Adrianna Fritz. "We want to do it, not just to donate, but because we know how it can help people in the entire community."
With $2,000 in grant money, HOSA plans to go beyond blood donations to help the community by encouraging organ and tissue donations.
"We're taking on Donate Life," said Paula. "HOSA has a community awareness event and we're going to challenge our high schools in the area to build awareness for organ donation. All 27 schools that come to us will have a 'Life Support Team.' We'll go to all the high schools and challenge them to join us."
Their plans include distributing Donate Life bracelets, offering opportunities to register as an organ or tissue donor at fundraising events, and awarding a prize to the school with most successful campaign.
MVCTC may also be on its way to winning another Red Cord Excellence grant. Cheyenne Hatches is a pre-nursing student and HOSA student who qualified for the Red Cord by making her third lifetime donation Tuesday.
"My mom was a nurse, and when she had to go to the hospital, I saw how nurses treated her," said Cheyenne. "I just knew I always wanted to donate. It's a good thing to do."
The Community Blood Center (CBC) website states, “Every year over 10,000 students participate in one of our blood drives held at a local high school and/or college campus. Blood drives engage student leaders and educators to come together and participate in a community service project that saves lives, provides leadership opportunities, and promotes teamwork.
CBC began operation in September 1964 in the Fidelity Medical Building on South Main Street in Dayton. CBC was established to meet the growing demand for a centralized system of blood banking that would better serve patient blood needs in the Dayton area.
CBC initially supplied two Dayton area hospitals, but by 1965 it had expanded to provide the blood needs for all general hospitals in Dayton. Since 1967 CBC has grown to its present service area of 25 hospitals in 15 counties with an entirely volunteer donor base.
Significant facility expansion took place in the 70's with the opening of the first CBC branch in Springfield, OH in February 1971. CBC headquarters soon outgrew the Fidelity building and in January 1975 moved to its present facility at 349 South Main Street in downtown Dayton.
Each day up to seven mobile blood drives (indoor and bloodmobile) are scheduled throughout the CBC service area.”
At least 250 pints of whole blood must be collected daily from volunteer donors to supply hospitals and sufficiently meet patient transfusion needs. The annual need is projected at more than 70,000 units of blood products. All donated blood becomes part of the general blood supply. Each unit of blood is tested, typed, processed, and then distributed daily to the area hospitals.
Dedicated to providing premier educational choices and advanced employment preparation for youth, adults, and organizations, MVCTC has proudly served the Miami Valley since 1971.
For more information about MVCTC, please visit www.mvctc.com.
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