Last week, Johnston High School hosted one of its three annual Blood Drives, which are held in conjunction with the Rhode Island Blood Center.

The Rhode Island Blood Center was established in 1979 as a nonprofit community blood center. The Blood Center is the only source of blood and blood products for the hospitals of Rhode Island while also serving customers in Massachusetts and Connecticut. The Rhode Island Blood Center must collect 240 to 280 pints of blood daily to meet the needs of its community, relying on the generosity of volunteer blood donors. Employing more than 350 individuals in a variety of positions, the Blood Center also works with some 180 volunteers and operates five fixed donor centers throughout Rhode Island. Working with a variety of sponsors, the Blood Center also runs more than 3,000 mobile blood drives annually.

Eligible blood donors have a few requirements. The first requirement is that each donor must be over the age of 17. Any 17-year-old student can donate blood, as long as they are given parent permission. Any student over 18 can donate without parent consent. Another requirement to be a blood donor is to weigh over 110 pounds.

Along with giving the students an opportunity to donate blood, the blood drive, which was located in the Johnston High School auditorium on Oct. 29, was open to the general public. Blood donors are asked to give one pint of their blood during the donation period. Understandably, anyone who is anemic cannot donate blood, because the center is looking for iron-blood, and blood that can be used to help others. In Rhode Island, schools across the state compete in a competition ran by the Rhode Island Blood Center to see which school can donate the most amount of blood.

In 2007, Johnston High School received first place, collecting the most amount of blood over the three donating periods. Last year, Johnston High School was very successful, but did not receive first place in the competition. This year, they hope to regain the title of first place in the statewide Rhode Island Blood Donation competition. This will only happen if students decide to help the community and save lives by donating blood as well as the general public.

At last week's blood drive JHS collected 72 pints, doing better than last year's fall blood drive. Johnston High School will be hosting two more blood drives this year. The next drive is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 28, 2010. Please be on the lookout to support Johnston High School's quest to collect the most amount of blood, and most importantly the Rhode Island Blood Center.