It’s good thing for the Rhode Island Blood Center that old habits are hard to break. Frank Prosnitz, the center’s community development manger, emphasizes the importance of getting teenagers and young adults to start donating now. Forming an early habit in young kids to donate blood results with a life long commitment.

The center reports that 5 percent of the population donates blood, while 70 percent of the population uses the donations it provides. These figures need to change, says Prosnitz who believes the solution is in the 17-25 demographic.

Cultivating teenagers and young adults is imperative to the center. As a part of that effort, Prosnitz said legislation to lower the age of donors from 17 to 16 is needed. Such a measure was passed by the House of Representatives this year but stalled in the Senate.

Prosnitz said it is “Essential that we are building the next generation of blood donors.” Forming an early habit in young America leads to people like Joseph Pailthorpe, a resident of Rhode Island who first donated in July of 1979 and has now donated 57 gallons of blood, making him the best donor in the state.

Forming this good habit with teenagers starts with blood drives that are held at high schools every year, which are the first stepping-stone to introducing teenagers to donating. The center also holds a yearly contest between all high schools. The contest creates competition among the schools as to which can donate the most blood in the school year. With 281 pints donated, Pilgrim High won the competition last year.

By combining Warwick’s three public schools and Bishop Hendricken, the seniors and juniors of Warwick donated 752 pints of blood. Knowing that one donation has the potential to save three lives, the high school students of this area potentially saved the lives of 2,256 people. This number, as Prosnitz exclaims, is greater than the population of some small towns in the state.

Prosnitz said that due to the summer season they see a slight decline in donors among the younger population, this being attributed to school being out of session. During the school year blood drives are scheduled at high schools and colleges alike. Without these drives the Blood Center noticed a decrease in the age group 17-25. However, Prosnitz wants to prevent these losses by embedding the idea of donating blood into these young minds.

The first Warwick high school blood drive will be at Pilgrim on the Sept. 25 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Prosnitz hopes that there will be a higher donation rate from these high schools in the near future, especially if the bill to reduce the age from 17 to 16 is passed.

With Labor Day around the corner, the Blood Center hopes to see extra donations to account for the holiday break. 280 pints of blood are needed everyday to maintain supply levels at the Blood Center. Although the blood bank is not seeing any shortages, they would like to compensate for the lost day, especially among the younger bracket of donors.

Prosnitz thanked those who have donated to the blood, but urges everyone to come out and potentially save three lives by donating blood before this Labor Day holiday. Drives are critical to the Blood Center, providing 50 percent of all donations, which is why Prosnitz urges the 17-25 demographic to donate today.

The following drives are scheduled in Warwick during September:

Sept. 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Honey Dew Donuts (Bloodmobile), 1775 Post Road

Sept. 4, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Panera Bread Warwick (Donor Coach), 1000 Bald Hill Rd.

Sept. 9, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Electronic Data Systems (Stadium A), 171 Service Avenue

Sept. 10, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Harborside Healthcare (East Dining Room), 1139 Main Ave.

Sept. 10, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sam's New York Systems (Donor Coach), 6 Sandy Lane

Sept. 13, 8:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M., Temple AM David (Social Hall), 40 Gardner Street

Sept. 17, 9:30 a.m. -2 p.m., New England Institute of Technology (Bloodmobile), 2480 Post Road

Sept. 17, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., New England Institute of Technology Automotive (Parking Lot), 101 Access Road

Sept. 18, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Warwick Public Schools (School Comittee Room), 34 Warwick Lake Avenue

Sept. 18, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Workout World (Bloodmobile), 3030 West Shore Road

Sept. 19, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., Papa John's Pizza (Donor Coach), 1160 Post Road

Sept. 23, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., CCRI Knight Campus (Lower Commons), 400 East Ave.

Sept. 23, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Wolverine Joining Tech (Donor Coach), 235 Kilvert St.

Sept. 25, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pilgrim High School (Small Gym), 111 Pilgrim Parkway

Sept. 26, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Norwood Baptist Church (Fellowship Hall), 48 Budlong Ave.

Sept. 27, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Pilgrim Lutheran Church (Basement), 1817 Warwick Ave.

Sept. 27, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saint Benedict Church (Parish Hall), 135 Beach Avenue

Sept. 28, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Rhode Island Higher Education (Bloodmobile), 560 Jefferson Blvd.

Sept. 29, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., United HealthCare (Bloodmobile), 475 Kilvert Street

Sept. 30, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Gregg's Restaurant (Bloodmobile), 1359 Post Road