Last minute blood drive a Shepherd success

ISSUED: 21 January 2010
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
(Last minute blood drive a Shepherd success)

Shepherdstown, WV--A last minute blood drive, held on Tuesday at Shepherd University's Erma Ora Byrd Hall, to combat emergency levels, went over the initial goal of Red Cross organizers.

The goal for Tuesday's drive was 45 pints of blood, and 48 pints were collected, which will help save up to 144 lives.

Currently, the blood supply has drastically decreased due to bad weather and the holiday season. Type O negative and type B negative blood types have dropped to emergency levels.

The blood drive, sponsored by the office of Student Community Services and Service Learning and the American Red Cross office in Washington County, Maryland, was planned Friday afternoon.

Due to maintenance on the elevator in the Student Center, an alternative location had to be secured at the last minute. Holly Frye, director of student community services and service learning, said that the whole campus came together to pull it off.

Volunteers were also recruited at the last minute. Sheri Fedkiw, donor resource field representative for the American Red Cross, said that eight students were recruited to help staff on Tuesday.

The next blood drive will be held in April.

-30-KESNER

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