I am sitting in the cold, hard chair waiting for them to call my name. My hands are sweating, my heart is pounding, and I feel as if I am on an amusement park ride. I see a few of my classmates, laying down with their beautiful crimson blood flowing into the collection bag. I am not anxious or frightened: I am excited. I cannot wait to donate blood.

My partner and I have been working with the Blood Bank of the Redwoods for the past year in order to address the issue of blood shortage in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. At the second blood drive of my junior year, I was unable to donate and I was very upset that I couldn’t help someone with my blood. I always look forward to donating, and unlike many people who fear needles and donating blood, I actually think that blood is intriguing. After this experience of what felt like rejection, I wanted to help people who need blood in a different way.

My partner, Alex Locey, and I learned about becoming a high school coordinator from our local blood bank, Blood Bank of the Redwoods. We took on this role, involving responsibility as well as social skills, very eagerly. At the final two blood drives of last year, we handled the logistics of the drives, but also the most important element: recruiting donors. Recruiting donors requires friendliness, compassion, a positive attitude, and persuasive ability. We are familiar faces to many Cardinal Newman and Ursuline students because we have experience as leaders of the school, as part of Link Crew, Campus Ministry, and ASB. Our friendliness and responsibility have helped to recruit many of our fellow students to donate and save as many lives as possible.

In addition to acting as High School Coordinator for our own school, we have been in contact with administrators from Sonoma Academy about beginning a blood drive program there in the spring. We are also beginning an art competition within St. Rose School’s afterschool art program to create artwork that will be used in a calendar to fundraise for the Blood Bank of the Redwoods. We are looking forward to expanding our efforts throughout this year and beyond.

My experience with the Blood Bank has taught me the importance of perseverance. I was so discouraged when I was unable to donate, but I did not give up. With further effort I discovered another way I could help. I have been rejected because of my hematocrit level three times since my first donation, but I have also successfully donated three times and recruited over 200 donors. I enjoy the satisfaction of a successful drive or recruitment effort just as much as I enjoy donating blood. I still get that feeling of nervous excitement. The only difference is that now it’s not only from donating: it’s from recruiting.