Community Corner

Learning to Save Lives

BGHS welcomed more than 100 donors to its annual blood drive.

“Learning to save lives is easier than you think.”

That’s the message that’s emblazoned across the front of the T-shirt I received Wednesday after donating blood at ’s annual drive.

As a longtime blood donor, the process is about as easy as breathing for me. So signing up for the school’s drive seemed like a natural way to help out in the community, as all Patch employees regularly do through our “Give 5” program.

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While watching students donate blood, I was reminded of what it was like to be a 16-year-old first-time donor. Some students put on brave faces, while others openly shared their anxiety.

“I was really scared. I cried when they put the needle in,” admitted Angela Rodriguez, Senior Class Board president. “But it feels good to have saved three lives.”

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The Senior Class Board promoted the drive, run by LifeSource, by visiting classrooms and hanging posters in the days leading up to the event.

“The whole selling point of, ‘You’re going to save three lives’ is really important to people,” noted Kathleen Helmstetter, the Class Board’s vice president.

“I think some people are using this to get out of class,” Helmstetter acknowledged. “But they’re not going to cut; they’re going to save lives. So it’s an even trade.”

Class Board officers greeted students, staff and members of the general public, passed out water bottles and T-shirts and answered questions as teens, many of them first-time donors, entered the school’s gym.

About 100 people signed up in advance to donate, and walk-ins were also welcomed.  Senior Class sponsor Barbara Meyer, a French teacher at BGHS, described the turnout as “fabulous.”

“I think it’s great that they’ve really stepped up to give blood,” she said. “Hopefully they’ll learn a life lesson, too, to always keep helping others if you can.”

After they completed the donation process, which takes about 10 minutes, students gathered at refreshment tables, where they refueled and chatted about their experience.

Emily Brunner, a senior, said her first donation went smoothly and she plans to repeat the process in the future.

“I just wanted to do something good,” she said. "It was a good cause. It was really easy, it didn’t hurt, and it made a difference in the community.”


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