Considering one pint of blood can save three lives, the Ball State University community will potentially save 666 lives from donating 222 units of blood during the Student Government Association blood drive.
Although 307 students attempted to donate at the drive held Monday and Tuesday at Pruis Hall, some were unable to complete the process because of health restrictions. While this means the drive did not reach the original goal of 300 pints donated, it did pass the secondary goal of 300 people attempting to donate.
"There were a lot of first-time donors and people who were afraid of needles but felt strongly for the cause," event chairwoman Jessica Polley said. "When you work hard to make something successful, it's good to hear positive feedback from the people coming to your event."
She said there was a steady flow of students and faculty coming in both days. A woman from Muncie even came in after seeing the posters as she drove through campus.
"It's gone smoothly, with not too long of a wait," Polley said. "It's been anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, but anyone who has been to the drives in the past knows it is a considerably shorter wait."
The organization and efficiency of the blood drive impressed Sharon Rhodes, donor services coordinator at Ball Memorial Hospital. While Polley said only two or three student volunteers worked Monday, there were about four volunteers at all times Tuesday. She especially praised Shawn Carlton, a member of SGA's blood drive ad-hoc committee, who not only arranged for 500 cookies to be donated but also worked almost the entire drive.
SGA Vice President Chris Kurtz and President Pro-Tempore Asher Lisec also volunteered time.
"I'm pleased with the extra effort the group puts into it," Rhodes said. "The thank-you coupons, the T-shirts - but most of all, I like how you don't have to wait that long."
Polley estimated that between the Indiana Blood Center mobile unit and the beds set up by Ball Memorial Hospital inside Pruis Hall, there were at least eight beds running at all times.
"It's so easy to forget something so important," Rhodes said. "If it comes from right here on Ball State, I think it has that personal mark, and people pay more attention to it."
After donating, biology graduate assistant Sarah DeLongchamp stood by the refreshment table holding her ice-packed right arm in the air while eating cookies. While donating, she said the nurse accidentally nicked her vein, flooding the area with blood and turning it black.
After the accident, DeLongchamp patiently held her right arm in the air for at least 40 minutes as she donated from her left arm instead and recovered with a drink and cookies.
"I have tiny veins that roll, so I feel sorry for them when I come in because I'm such a problem," DeLongchamp said. "But I really like donating blood."
After her snack, she said she was headed for Ball Memorial Hospital to check on her right arm. The hospital visit was a precautionary measure, as she said she was pretty sure there was nothing seriously wrong, except she was going to get an amazing bruise.
"Even if they bruise me, it doesn't hurt, and they really need the blood at the hospital," she said. "I look the other way and it doesn't sting. I get to sit there, and then I have a free cookie."
Donations slowed down Tuesday afternoon because of the storm and tornado warnings. The Indiana Blood Center mobile unit left despite the severe weather warnings, but Polley said Ball Memorial Hospital stayed until 5:45 p.m. finishing donors.
Polley said the Staff Council was planning another blood drive for February and was working on a database to keep track of frequent donors. People on the list will receive an e-mail before SGA and Staff Council blood drives.
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