Blood drive adds virtual reality glasses to May 10 event

This year’s blood drive will be May 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Participants will need to complete a sign-up form and parent consent form.

Counselor Erin Gardner, has been coordinating the event for as long as she’s worked at the high school, 14 years.

Before joining the school as a counselor, the “school nurse was in charge of the Blood Drive. I honestly am not sure how many years they have done the Blood Drive before me.”

Throughout the years, on average there are around 100 participants in the blood drive.

She said this number has dropped. “Since COVID, it has been around 50 participants.”

Lifeserve is the partner for the event. It’s a non-profit blood center that has been around for over 75 years. Since the center’s founding in 1947, the organization has opened several buildings in Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska.

Gardner expects each person’s blood drawing to take an hour, including answering questions and a physical.

Participants in the blood drive have to be at or above 120 pounds, and they make sure your blood levels are good enough.

Gardner said this year Lifeserve will be bringing “new reality glasses to use while they are getting their blood drawn to help with relaxation during the process.”

There will also be a snack area for after participants get blood drawn to “help get your sugar levels back up. You can feel tired, and should not do any strenuous physical activity that day,” Gardner said.

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