High school and college students can help save lives this winter and be eligible to win a scholarship of up to $2,500 by hosting an American Red Cross blood drive. Registration is now open through Nov. 15 to host drives between Dec. 15 and Jan. 15.
“Winter is a difficult time to collect enough blood to meet patient needs with inclement weather and seasonal illnesses reducing the number of volunteer donors that come out to give,” said Mario Sedlock, Red Cross Alabama and Central Gulf Coast and Southern Blood Services Regions director of donor recruitment. “Our Leaders Save Lives program gives students an opportunity to learn valuable leadership skills and help ensure blood is available for patients in need of lifesaving transfusions by recruiting their friends and family to give blood.”
The Leaders Save Lives program encourages community-minded high school and college students to host blood drives to help maintain the blood supply around the winter holidays. Blood donations made at high school, university and college blood drives account for as much as 20 percent of blood donations through the Red Cross. Around the winter holidays, when school is not in session, blood donations often decline.
Students who host a drive can be eligible to win a scholarship up to $2,500 for higher education and earn a gift card. A total of six scholarships will be awarded to students who host a blood drive collecting 25 blood donations or more. All students who collect at least 25 pints at their blood drive will receive a gift card to giftcertificates.com.
For more information and to register to host a Leaders Save Lives blood drive, visit redcrossblood.org/leaderssavelives.
