For the second time this year, Southern Door High School allowed students and community members to donate blood. The American Red Cross conducted this blood drive on Thursday, March 1, 2012.

The blood drive was held in the high school gym from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. In order for high school students and community members to donate blood, they needed to meet requirements: 17 years old, or 16 with parent consent, minimum of 110 pounds, good health, and appointments were preferred.

The American Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton on May 21, 1881. Today, the American Red Cross offers many services to those in need. The American Red Cross offers community services which help the needy and provides support and comfort for military members and their families. The American Red Cross is in charge of the collecting, processing, and distributing of lifesaving blood products; they provide educational programs that promote health and safety and international relief and development.

Important things to remember when deciding to donate blood include the following: get a good night sleep. It is important to be well rested so you are not tired the next day. Eat a good supper the night before and drink a lot of fluids to keep your blood flowing. Do not drink caffeine because it will tighten your blood vessels and lengthen the process of donating.

If you are not eligible to donate blood, it is important to encourage friends and family who are eligible to donate.
 
Here are some interesting facts about blood:

•Someone needs blood every two seconds in the US
•More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day
•The blood type most requested by hospitals is type O