The Civic and Community Engagement Center (CCEC) and the American Red Cross hosted a Blood Drive on Nov. 4 in Trustees Pavilion. This is the second blood drive of the academic year, with potentially one more on the way in the spring semester.
Upon entering, people could find multiple pamphlets detailing how to prepare for donating blood and the Power Red blood donation project.
While people were in the process of donating blood, they were recommended to take part in applied muscle tension, a group of exercises that helped lower the chance of fainting. Donors were asked to cross their legs, squeeze their inner thigh and abdominal muscles, point their toes and hold this position for five seconds, rest for five more, then repeat four more times.
Meanwhile, a Power Red donation allows you to donate two units of red blood cells during one blood donation. The machine that draws your blood will separate and collect the two units of red blood cells while returning the other blood components like white blood cells, platelets and plasma.
Power Red Donations increase your donation’s impact and help more patients. The requirements for females to make a Power Red donation are to be a minimum height of 5’3” and a minimum weight of 150 lbs, while a male has to be a minimum height of 5’1” and a minimum weight of 130 lbs.
People who donate blood can help cancer patients, trauma patients, those with sickle cell disease, burn patients and people with chronic illnesses.
This blood drive was open to more than just the campus population, with many people coming from off campus to do their part. The Center for Student Involvement (CSI) organized parking for the event.
Allie Shapiro, the coordinator for community engagement, coordinated this Blood Drive. It was her second since joining Ramapo’s faculty and she has high hopes for more.
“Blood drives fit into exactly what the Civic and Community Engagement Center does– blood drives are hubs for community engagement,” she said in an email with The Ramapo News. “Those who are willing and able to donate blood save countless lives. Especially during times where we are seeing an uptick in natural disasters, donating blood is a great act of service.”
The American Red Cross is always looking for blood donors. They are also offering a $10 e-gift card to a shop of your choice and automatically enter you for a chance to win a $7,000 gift card if you donate blood between today and Nov. 17. You can make an appointment on the American Red Cross website.
CCEC’s next events are the Sunday Farm Volunteer Experience on Nov. 10 and a Wellness Hike With Maya Poran on Nov. 11.
pbortner@ramapo.edu
Featured photo by Peyton Bortner, Ramapo News
