Donors give blood during a Community Blood Center blood drive at Indian Lake High School. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
The Community Blood Center is honoring 12 “Hometown Heroes” who have defended the region’s blood supply during the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Indian Lake High School has been named one of the Hometown Heroes recipients during the “12 Days of Christmas Blood Drive.”
Area residents took the COVID-19 pandemic seriously in the spring when schools began closing. Classes were suspended for weeks, then months as shut-downs came like dominoes. Schools went to remote learning, and all high school blood drives were canceled, Community Blood Center representatives related.
Some schools re-opened in the fall, and then more closings and hybrid schedules followed as coronavirus cases surged. The fall high school blood drive schedule was tentative, with many cancellations or reduced capacity.
CBC Logan County account representative Nicole Thruston thought of all those challenges when she nominated small but mighty Indian Lake High School as a “Hometown Hero.”
“They knew that we needed blood, so they extended the hours of their blood drive to a six hour mobile and invited the community to come to the blood drive,” Thruston said. “They promoted around town and had an amazing blood drive.”
Nicole depended on the help of blood drive coordinator Deb Metzger, the Indian Lake High School Media Aide and SADD adviser.
“Our school sponsors two blood drives a year,” Metzger said. “Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) sponsors the fall blood drive. National Honor Society (NHS) sponsors the spring blood drive.”
The March 3 NHS blood drive totaled 70 donors, including 19 first-time donors. “We gathered our goal of 70 units,” the ILHS blood drive coordinator said. “Less than two weeks later, the school and nearly everything was shut down because of COVID-19.”
That support from ILHS continued in recent months as classes resumed.
“Once we returned to school in the fall, our ILHS SADD officers felt it was important to continue with plans for the November blood drive,” Metzger said. “News of blood drives being canceled and a dwindling blood supply prompted us to see how we could help.
“Fortunately, our administration was wonderful and very supportive, so we faced no difficulties preparing for the event. We added two hours for the drive, put the word out and we had a very good response from students, staff, and community.”
The Indian Lake Nov. 6 blood drive totaled 61 donors, including 23 first-time donors and reached 101 percent of collection goal.
“We are so proud of how everyone working together, and we were able to meet our goal,” the blood drive coordinator said. “Thank you to everyone who had a part in the blood drive and made it such a success. Laker Proud!”
CBC is encouraging donations during the “12 Days of Christmas” blood drive. Donors must make an appointment at www.DonorTime.com or by calling (937) 461-3220.