Ever thought about donating blood to the Red Cross, but couldn’t ever find a place to do so or weren’t old enough when you initially wanted to donate? Mark the calendar date of Feb. 7 as the Wayne State College Red Cross Club hosts a blood drive in the Frey Suite of the Kanter Student Center. 

The blood drive will be held from 11 am to 5 pm, a whole 6 hours of doing good for the world. But not only is it good for the world, it is also good for the donor. If a donor has not a single clue of what their blood type may be, participating in blood donations is an easy way to solve the mystery. 

The president of the Red Cross Club, Chole Hibler, helps organize these blood drives every school year.  

“We offer 4 blood drives a semester,” Hibler said. “Usually two at the beginning of the semester and two towards the end.” Hibler was swept into the Red Cross Club by one of her close friends.  

“I had a close friend who was looking for volunteers for a drive,” Hibler said. “[And] I decided to volunteer and joined the club later that semester.” 

Many students get involved in the blood drives here on campus. Jordyn Ehmke, an international sophomore studying psychology and criminal justice, recalls the first time she donated blood.  

“I was about 18 when I first donated blood,” Ehmke said. “It was at a blood donation center in South Africa. I donated one pint for my first donation.” The blood donation laws in South Africa, compared to the United States, are almost a one-to-one comparison. 

A good way to prepare for future blood drives is to drink a lot of water before the donation date, eat an iron rich breakfast the morning of the donation date, avoid fatty rich foods like fries and ice cream, make sure you have a valid form of identification, such as a driver’s license, and most importantly, get a good night’s rest before the day of donation.      

If you are looking to skip the line and try to beat the rush during the blood drive, sign up ahead of time on the Red Cross Blood Donor app on either a mobile device or PC. If you have any questions or concerns for the donation process, refer to the Red Cross Blood Donation website or contact Chole Hibler at [email protected] for more information.