Volume 36- Issue 2
Page 7
WCC Saves 204 People In One Day!
By: Marie West
WCC Students Sean Cheek and Travis
Clark waiting to donate hlood at the college
hlood drive.
Wilkes Community College had its blood drive
on September 12 of this year. The Red Cross
came to the school with the Bloodmobile and
were ready to accept donations starting at 9:30
am. The Bloodmobile is a traveling bus that
carries all the supplies needed to aide in collecting
donations. This includes the booths set up inside
Alumni Hall to help with the screening process,
and the beds inside the bus for donors to lie in
while donating blood.
Many people are nervous about donating, so
there are plenty of Red Cross people around
to walk you through the process, answer any
questions you may have, and stay by your side at
all times. The process for donating blood is the
same everywhere. They recommend drinking lots
of water beginning a few days beforehand, and
eating a good meal a few hours before donating.
When you come in, sign up at the front where
they take your name and give you a packet of
information to read. Next is a short questionnaire,
where you are asked about your general health
and if you have visited any foreign countries lately.
Then, they take you to a separate comer to review
the questionnaire you filled out and check the
iron level in your blood. Once you are finished
there, they take you to the bus, where you lay on
one of the six beds and you donate your blood.
After you are finished donating, they wrap your
arm with a small bandage and colorful tape, and
send you to the treat table, where you have plenty
of snacks to “recover" with. You are then able to go
about the rest of your day wearing your‘badge of
honor’ showing you donated blood that day.
The Red Cross accepts all types of human blood-
A, AB, B, O, and positive or negative for each- and
they are in need of all types right now. One unit
of blood equals one pint, and that one pint can
benefit up to three people. (The blood will be
separated into the red blood cells, the plasma,
and the platelets at a later time.) They are also
encouraging the donation of platelets- the
part of the blood that helps with clotting-
and were offering a free T-shirt and water
bottle to anyone interested in signing up
today. The response from WCC students
and staff was overwhelming. After ending
their busy day around 4:00 p.m., the
Bloodmobile had a full 68 units that had
been donated that day, which means a
total of 204 people could have benefited!
Way to go WCC!
If you missed the opportunity to donate
at the school, you can see the schedule of
the Bloodmobile in either of the Wilkes
County papers, and you can visit them at
any location. If you would like to donate
blood, plasma, or platelets at their main
location, you may visit them in Winston-
Salem (336) 725-4346 Monday thru
Friday between 8:00 am and 5:00 p.m.
To the right: Special Populations
Coordinator- Sheneele Wagoner
waiting her turn to be screened.
Anyone wanting to donate blood
must go thought a short screening
process before being able to donate
blood.
Holiday Christmas Sale
October 15th October 16th
Please join us for refreshments and receive
25% discount on gifts and clothing
WCC Absher Bookstore
College Ring Day with Jostens
October 16th
National Boss Day
November 5th 10:30am to 3:30pm