Overview: Blood drive at Patrick Henry High School

Riley Levien is a senior at the high school and one of two (Kinley Herrera) community service commissioners in the Patrick Henry Associated Student Body (ASB). The two oversee the school’s blood drives.

Are you looking for a way to give back to others this month?

If so, here’s one day to do it: You can head over to the Patrick Henry High School auditorium this Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for a community blood drive.

This year’s blood drive at the school marks a little more than 20 years since the San Diego Blood Bank and Patrick Henry began working together for this good cause.

Riley Levien is a senior at the high school and one of two (Kinley Herrera) community service commissioners in the Patrick Henry Associated Student Body. The two oversee the school’s blood drives.

“In the ASB classroom, students get divided into five teams with a team lead as each of ASB’s cabinet members (president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, historian),” Levien said.

“Each team gets assigned one blood drive during the school year to help with set-up, take-down, and run a blood drive sign-up table at lunch every day for about two to three weeks.

“Ms. Herrera and I handle all the paperwork, communication with our ASB advisor and the team who are working on this cause, and the communication with Oscar Labiano, the territory manager at San Diego Blood Bank.”

Any such event of course needs the word to get around.

“To spread the word across campus, we post regularly on social media about when the blood drive is, how to be eligible, and the incentives for becoming a blood donor,” Levien said.

“We also have flyers we spread across campus, as well as posters we make in ASB class to encourage students to sign up for this amazing cause. Because you have to be 17 years or older to donate, we mostly have donors from my grade, 12th grade, so I heavily encourage my friends and classmates to donate.”

While past school blood drives have seen mostly students donate, the community is welcome at the event.

“Typically, we mostly have students from Patrick Henry donate, but for the blood drive on the 18th, we have gotten a good amount of community members to sign up,” Levien added. “We’re so happy they are coming and happy we provided them with a place to donate.”

Those donating blood can receive a complimentary ticket to Sea World’s Howl-O-Scream San Diego while supplies last. The ticket is good for select nights through Nov. 1.

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