Every semester Northern Vermont University-Johnson holds a blood drive. These events, coordinated by the SERVE Office and run by the Red Cross bring people together to give the gift of life to those who need it. Every pint of blood can save up to three lives and each drive in the history of Johnson (going back to the Johnson State days) has potentially saved over 100 people. At this time, we have cumulatively collected 1008 units of viable blood.

Not everyone is able to donate blood, but many of these folks are able to donate their time instead. The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) at NVU-Johnson, along with many others, took this opportunity to donate their time which helped to run the drive smoothly. NSLS is all about creating quality leaders, as their president Sierra Leblanc feels “Being a leader is more than just a title to live by, it’s the action steps and the impact you have on a community, that makes your community that much better.”

What does it mean to give time at an event like this? For Leblanc, it meant checking in with donors and making sure they take their time getting back to their day.

A lot of our students who donate are doing this for the first time, for some people it’s scary or anxiety producing or brings out a hidden fear of needles. Leblanc spent five hours of her day ensuring people were comfortable, having what they needed whether it was juice or a friendly face in order to make this experience less scary.

A part of these events that can go unnoticed is the set up and break down. Without the help of volunteers, this process can take forever and can be strenuous for the people who have been on their feet all day doing intakes and taking blood. Thankfully, Chrystal Cox showed up ready to work and get things done, helping the breakdown process go smoothly.

The Blood Drive is probably one of the most popular and well-known events to the campus as well as the town. It’s an opportunity for community members to come to campus and mingle with students. It is also an awesome opportunity for students to try out volunteering in a familiar space with people they might recognize around campus.

If you would like to give blood at our next drive, mark your calendar for March 26, 2020 and sign up at redcrossblood.org/give. If you would like to learn more about NSLS, reach out to
[email protected].