Ellsworth High School record bloodmobile timely after hurricane

• Donation

EHS students donated during the fall bloodmobile on Oct. 29.

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When the Ellsworth High School Student Council started planning in early October for the fall bloodmobile on Oct. 29, no one would have been able to foresee the importance of having a record collection of 148 units, beating the previous record of 127 units.

But because of Hurricane Sandy out East, it was reported by the American Red Cross on Oct. 30 approximately 100 blood drives in 11 states had to be cancelled, leaving a shortage of 3,200 units of blood and plasma.

The EHS Student Council has been sponsoring bloodmobiles since March of 1982, when the bloodmobile came yearly. Since the fall of 1999, they have sponsored drives during the fall and again in the spring.

Until recently, the Red Cross was only allowed to have ages 17 and up donate. Now, 16-year-olds are able to donate, provided they have a permission slip from their parents. Also, community members are welcomed to donate at the school and drives are scheduled to allow sufficient days in between to allow donors to give at the three drives held at Zion Covenant Church and the two at the high school.

The most recent program of the Red Cross is the “Young Minds Change Lives” scholarship program, in which the school is awarded scholarship money based on the number of units collected at the high school. Last spring, EHS awarded five deserving seniors $500 scholarships each.

The next community drive held at the church will be on Jan. 14, 2013, and the next high school bloodmobile will March 20, 2013.

Appreciation goes to the students, staff and community members who donated. Also, appreciation goes to the student workers and EHS staff for accommodating the bloodmobile. Special appreciation goes to Nilssen’s Foods for the donation of crackers.

With any questions or for appointment information, call Sharlene Kreye, RN, District School Nurse, at 715-273-3911.

Tags: communities, ellsworth, health, wisconsin