BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Staff Writer
Katie Brumbaugh invites the community to give back during a blood drive on Monday, March 1, from 12-6 p.m.
Brumbaugh, a senior at Clarkston High School, has been running blood drives in the area.
It began last May when she decided to try donating blood. She found out she couldn’t due to low iron levels.
“After this happened, I ended up doing a lot of research about the requirements to donate blood and found not only are there a limited number of people actually eligible, but the Red Cross has been struggling to collect blood during the pandemic due to canceled drives and low turn out,” Brumbaugh explained.
She discovered she could become a blood drive organizer and also potentially earn scholarship money for it.
“It essentially came down to there being a lack of community service opportunities during the pandemic, and this has been a truly impactful thing to do during such an unprecedented time,” she said. “It is almost impossible to not know someone who has received blood at some point in their life.”
She has run two successful blood drives – which 79 pints of blood were collected, helping up to 237 people.
“It has been great to meet so many of my neighbors and community members throughout the process,” Brumbaugh shared. “I hope to engage with many more over the next few months. I would love to fill every appointment spot at this drive and hope members of the community will be willing to give up an hour of their day and a small pint of blood to help save lives.”
The blood drive is at Oakhurst Golf and Country Club, March 1. Eligible donors can sign up by visiting RedCrossBlood.org and using the sponsor code “oakhurstcares.”
Due to COVID-19 protocols, donors have their temperature checked upon arrival and are asked to wear a mask during the duration of the time they are there.
To protect the health and safety of Red Cross staff and donors, individuals who do not feel well or who believe they may be ill with COVID-19 should postpone their donation.