Every two seconds, someone in the United States is in need of blood. A few years ago, Interact Club decided to help contribute to the blood supply. Now, Interact Club hosts an annual blood drive at City High where students and teachers can donate blood. The blood donated will help emergency victims along with cancer patients.

The DeGowin Blood Center set up a clinic in the commons from 11:30-4:30 on October 26. Approximately 45 students donated blood. Many City High staff members also contributed to the blood drive. Students and teachers donated about one pint of blood each.

One of the presidents of Interact Club, Addy Smith ‘18, played an active role in organizing the blood drive.

“DeGowin Blood Center contacted us and they pretty much had all the logistics ironed out, but they needed some help from us through Interact. So we compiled our best helpers to help make the blood drive run smoothly,” Smith said.

On October 26, other members of Interact Club volunteered to help run the clinic.

“It wouldn’t have been possible without the awesome people at Blood Center and our willing helpers through Interact,” said Smith.

Julia Coelho ‘19 is one of many students who chose to participate in the blood drive.

“I chose to do the blood drive because I believe it is one of the easiest acts to help people,” said Coelho. “It is going to such a great place and I know that it will be used.”

A statistic that caught Coelho’s attention is that one in ten people will need blood at some point in their lives. She says it was worth the physical pain to help people that are in need.

“It definitely hurt but I believe that it’s important for people to donate blood,” said Coelho. “It’s a good way to give back just in case I’ll need it at some point.”

Smith pointed out that this is a particularly relevant time to donate blood, after the attack on October 1 in Las Vegas.

“I think especially recently this is a super timely cause after the attack in Vegas and the biggest thing they needed was blood,” said Smith.

Like Coelho, Smith believes this is an important and easy gesture to help people in need.

“The blood we collected will touch so many people’s lives that we will never meet,” said Smith. “There’s a quote that says ‘Try and do one thing every day for someone you know will never be able to repay you’ and today all of those donors were able to do their part.”