RHS hosted a blood drive from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, September 26th. Blood was collected in a van, known as a bloodmobile, in the V-building parking lot. Students who volunteered scheduled appointments that would last approximately 30 minutes.
Vitalant is a non-profit organization that has been doing the blood drive at RHS for many years. “It’s really just the interest that the students [have] to keep putting this on,” said Alex Cox, a member of Vitalant who has been doing the drive for nine years. Scott Secomes and Luis Gonzalez, other members of the non-profit, who have been doing the drive for 19 years and 15 years respectively, were also present to help carry out the event.
Calvin Grisham, a junior at RHS, is one of the individuals who donated. “It feels good donating for a cause,” said Grisham. He describes the process as potentially scary for people with little experience with needles. Wendy Burghardt, a teacher at RHS, has been donating blood since her 20’s. She mentioned that she donates blood approximately four times a year. “It’s an easy way for me to give back,” said Burghardt.
In 2025, 10 units of blood were collected in January and 15 units were collected in April.. “The ultimate purpose of a blood drive, right, is to collect blood that patients in the hospital may need,” said Cox. The blood that those a part of RHS donate in these drives is used to potentially save lives. “We turn you kids into superheroes,” said Secomes.
