Nayeon Ryu

Red Cross Club, founded by senior Harjeev Singh, is hosting the first blood drive in over two decades at school. Singh had been planning this event since the end of last year with hopes to positively impact the community. “With this club, we hope to save lives and provide an outlet for those who have a nurturing heart,” Singh said.

Heart beating and blood pumping, senior Harjeev Singh submits his request for a new school event: a blood drive. Since the end of his junior year, Singh has worked to establish the Red Cross Club and organize the first blood drive in more than two decades.

The blood drive will be held Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where participants ages 16 and up can sign up to donate blood. Donors under 18 must have guardian permission to proceed with their donation, and all donors must know of their health records, blood type and other logistics.

“We wanted to get as many people as humanly possible to show up and donate, but apparently the cap is for [around] 20 blood donors, so now we for sure want to meet that maximum,” senior and Red Cross Club vice president Dillon Campbell.

While Campbell intends to donate, senior and club member Bailey Mosher plans to help out with the blood drive by spreading the word throughout the community and volunteering at the event.

“I hadn’t heard about a blood drive in the recent years of our school, so I thought it would be cool if we organized one for the first time [in a long time],” Mosher said. “We want to collect lots of blood for hospitals to use in surgeries and other necessary purposes, so I will help in putting up posters around our school and getting in contact with my neighbors. My dad is already signed up to donate.”

Singh has worked side by side with science teacher and sponsor Amy Van-Matre Woodward to communicate directly with the Red Cross and start the club.

“Ms. V submitted the club forms to [athletic director Brian] Kessler, so she has done her job. We really appreciate her opening up her room for our meetings and for being so willing to sponsor us and help kickstart our club,” Singh said.

“I’ve been with Harjeev every step of the way in forming the club. I’ve helped with almost every decision, recruited many members and inputted new ideas, such as merchandise,” Campbell said. “We don’t just want this to be a one-and-done deal after the blood drive. We want this to be a platform for a long time, so we are recruiting underclassmen so they can continue the mission even after [the founding members] graduate.”

Despite the numerous service opportunities offered at school, Singh sees this as more than just another volunteer club.

“It was important to spread the missions of the Red Cross to our school because I felt that we were missing a club that represented these missions,” Singh said. “One way that we could help contribute was by hosting a local blood drive, as their ultimate goal is helping those who are in need, and that is our goal as well.