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     Over 85 Franklin Pierce students, professors, and community members donated blood to the Red Cross last Thursday, March 2.

     The New Hampshire chapter of the Red Cross held their semi-annual blood drive at the Northfields Activity Center from 1- 6:00 p.m. on March 2. The Franklin Pierce EMS, fire department, and health services helped to facilitate the event.

     "I’ve seen a lot of fellow classmates," said sophomore Alex Potts, who was volunteering at the event as a member of the fire department. "It’s nice to see Franklin Pierce students helping people in need."

     Colleges make up a large percent of annual donated blood, according to Gayle McCarthy, registered nurse. She has been a member of the Red Cross for a year and a half. Other big supporters are high schools, Shaw's, Wal-Mart, and their sponsor, Harley Davidson. The Red Cross also receives a lot of support from community blood drives held at elementary school.

     McCarthy represented the Red Cross as the "charge nurse". There were seven licensed practical nurses drawing blood in the conference room in the Bubble. All were collection specialists specifically trained in phlebotomy by the Red Cross, regulated by the Federal Drug Administration.

     "Of all the donated blood we get today, we’ll end up with an estimated 60 usable pints," said McCarthy.

     Potential donors had to meet a list of requirements before they were able to donate. Most importantly, each person had to be at least 110 lbs. Also, anyone who had visited a country with a malarial risk was not able to participate. Each person who signed up was given a sheet of facts to read until their confidential interview to find out more about their history. Radios were left playing in the background to add privacy to the interviews.

     Junior Phil McCully, member of the EMS and the fire department, also helped with the event. "I’ve donated three times since I’ve been at Franklin Pierce," McCully said. "One girl who was here earlier said that she’d donated eight times since she was in high school."

     The Red Cross relies on recurring donors. "Of all the people who could donate blood, only about 5% do," McCarthy said.

     There was a steady flow of donors throughout the day, keeping the number of donors just above average compared to other Franklin Pierce blood drives.

     To learn more, or to find a blood drive near you, you may call the Manchester Red Cross at (603) 625-1951.