WARRENSBURG, Ill. (WAND) — Students at Warrensburg-Latham High School are once again stepping up to save lives as the school hosts its second blood drive of the year in partnership with ImpactLife.
The effort, led by the National Honor Society, brings together dozens of students and staff who say giving back is simply part of who they are.
NHS advisor Stephanie Thien has helped organize WL’s blood drives for nearly a decade and says the tradition goes back even further.
“We do five every year, around every 60 days,” Thien said. “It’s probably been 10 or 15 years that we’ve been doing it.”
For many students, the drives offer a chance to serve the community in a meaningful way, whether they volunteer or roll up their sleeves to donate.
Senior Rylie Arthur said she has donated twice and encourages others to roll up their sleeves, even if the idea of a needle seems intimidating at first.
“Giving blood can help anyone,” Arthur said. “It takes less than 30 minutes. It doesn’t take too much time to help someone out.”
Arthur said the school has made the process simple and accessible, allowing students to schedule appointments.
“It’s just nice knowing that the school cares and puts effort into doing things like this,” Arthur said.
For senior Maddie Jones, helping run the blood drive is part of her commitment to community service through the National Honor Society.
“We have to get 50 service hours total, 25 each semester,” Jones said. “You can really get that anywhere ... it’s kind of just helping out around the community.”
Jones volunteers at nearly every drive and said seeing her classmates step up is meaningful.
“When you’re done, you feel like you’ve helped somebody out or potentially saved somebody’s life,” Jones said.
ImpactLife officials said this drive comes at a crucial moment. Michelle Trunnell, Regional Manager of Donor Development, said the organization is facing a critical need for O-negative blood.
“During the holiday season … people get very busy,” Trunnell said. “Donating blood is not top of mind. However, the patients that need blood—that does not stop because the holidays are here.”
ImpactLife serves more than 120 hospitals across Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin, including those in Decatur, Springfield, Champaign-Urbana and Peoria.
“When you donate with ImpactLife, that does go to our local hospitals,” Trunnell said.
The school’s continued commitment has also opened doors for students. If the drive hits 20 donations, ImpactLife gives grant money to the school, which is used for a scholarship fund.
Students can also earn special recognition at graduation by volunteering, donating and recruiting new donors. Any graduating senior who successfully donates at least six times during high school receives red cords to wear during graduation and is recognized at our senior awards night in the spring.
For Thien, watching her students take leadership roles in an effort that benefits the entire region is what makes the work worthwhile.
“We have really good kids here,” Thien said. “Anytime we’ve had any sort of need … everybody really steps up. It reinforces that this is a great place to be.”
Friday's blood drive is from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Mobile Blood RV will be parked in front of the high school. There are eight spots still open. Sign-ups are all electronic; click here for available times.
If people are interested in donating blood and our drive tomorrow is not the most convenient for people, the Impact Life Donation Center in Downtown Decatur takes appointments as well. If people donate there and provide the group code 60831, the WL drive will get the donation credit towards our 20-donation goal for the scholarship fund.
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