PIERCE COLLEGE : Blood Drive Hoping for 200 Pints

The American Red Cross hopes to collect 200 pints of blood at the semiannual Pierce College blood drive Monday through Wednesday in the Campus Center, Red Cross spokeswoman Brenda Berg said.

The blood drive comes at a time when, because of spring break and the Memorial Day holiday, the Red Cross anticipates an increase in accidents and a decrease in blood donors, according to Berg.

The Associated Students Organization is sponsoring the blood drive.

“At most other colleges, we would have to send Red Cross teams to the campus to get sign-ups,” said Berg, a field representative for the American Red Cross Biomedical Services.

At Pierce, however, student body Vice President Danny Lawlor did all the recruiting, Berg said.

“But we have about a 50% no-show rate,” she added.

Although no more appointments are available, donors without appointments will be taken if the center is not crowded. Donors without appointments can probably be accommodated Tuesday and Wednesday between 4 and 5 p.m., Berg said.

Donors should get a good night’s sleep and eat well the day they donate blood, she said.

Donating blood takes only eight to 10 minutes, but volunteers should allocate about an hour for the entire process. Potential donors have their blood pressure, iron level and temperature checked before having their blood drawn. Afterward, they are asked to stay for refreshments and to rest.