LSC community donations in the red

Pete McKinney
This is Pete McKinney’s 13th time giving a double red cell donation, a process that runs a person’s blood through a machine which separates the plasma from the red blood cells, enabling the donor to give their yearly maximum of blood in half the time.

“Most of the time the American Red Cross calls me for an appointment,” McKinney said. Because the process is more involved than a typical donation, the Red Cross prefers that people make appointments. Still, if there’s an open seat, walk-ins are welcome.

Kate Gold
Kate Gold, student success specialist at LSC, has given blood three times so far, owing to the fact that the Red Cross’s LSC blood drives are easy to get to for her. “It was the first time I could just walk down the hall and give blood,” Gold said.

Gold has some advice for other donors: Hydrate. Her first time donating wasn’t as smooth as she would have liked. “I was a little dehydrated, so it was harder to get the blood out,” Gold said.

Serena Franks
Serena Franks isn’t sure if this is her third or fourth time giving blood, but “It’s just really nice to think you can do something so giving,” Franks said.

Serena heard about the Red Cross’s reported blood shortage on the radio and thought she would give.

Keith Maybury
Keith Maybury, a local resident, also heard the Red Cross was having a shortage and decided he would give blood that very day.

“The cookies are always good,” Maybury said.

Samantha Winsor
Although she has tried in the past, this is Samantha Winsor’s first time successfully donating blood. A low iron count kept her from qualifying in the past. “It was very discouraging,” Winsor said, but she kept trying because “My friend does it all the time.”

Derek Palmieri
Derek Palmieri, a member of Kappa Delta Phi and an LSC student, donated his time as well as his blood to the Red Cross. He and the other members of his fraternity contacted the Red Cross when they heard the blood drive was coming through.

“We’re just really trying hard to get a more positive view in the community,” Palmieri said.

Willow
“It was easy, and I thought I’d contribute to society,” Willow, a sophomore, said. This is her fourth time donating blood.