Walking calmly to the bed, only to be nervously laying down — rather uncomfortably— waiting for a needle to puncture her skin, junior Lilit Agesyan decided to donate one pint of blood along with many others. “[I donated blood] because if I have some, then why can’t I give to others?” Agesyan said.  

The Red Cross Club organized yet another blood drive in Clark’s auditorium, this one on Nov. 6. People had to wait for a good amount of time in a room heavily scented of rubbing alcohol, after signing in at the entrance using their phones. At the end of the whole procedure, they were required to relax by the snack station and socialize.

The blood drive is an opportunity for students, 17 or older, to donate blood to people who need it. It was the first of two or possibly three scheduled for this school year, according to the Red Cross Club.

Chadi Saklaway, Red Cross Club president, said that the total number of pints collected exceeded the club’s expectations. “We went 11 pints over our goal, which was 37 pints,” Saklaway said, “which means that in all we collected 48 pints [from 45 people], each donation saves three lives and each donor plays a part in their community.”

Teachers were also welcome to participate. Clark teacher Christopher Davis said he started donating in high school. “In all, I have probably donated 50 pints,” he said. This year was his first time in about three years of not donating. “I donated once and the person who struck me hit a nerve and I had nerve pain for two months,” he said. “Whenever I hit or bent that area of my arm it would cause me great pain, which ultimately led me to be a little scared of donating again.”

According to Saklaway and Red Cross Officer Roni Margousi, the donations were very timely,  especially with the recent California fires, as the blood donations are crucial for burn victims to help them get necessary blood transfusions. They encourage students to donate at least once in order to possibly save three lives.

“The people who do [the procedure] are professionally trained,” Davis said. “It would be half a second of pain, but in that half a second you would be helping a lot of people who need blood.”