The Red Cross Blood Drive is back at the Owatonna High School for the second time this year, and the Red Cross has been coming to OHS for over 10 years. Students donating will have to be at least 16 years old with parents permission or 17 and above and have a valid ID with them. Students also need to be feeling healthy and weigh over 110 pounds to give blood.

Upon arrival, there will be a short questioning phase where donors will be asked about their health history, and the places they have traveled. After being questioned, the phlebotomist will take the donor’s temperature, pulse, blood pressure and hemoglobin levels to make sure everything checks out. After a short wait, they will be asked to sit down in a chair where a phlebotomist will clean their arm and insert a brand new sterile needle. A previous donor Kelsie Simon said, “I felt great helping others and the people there are very nice and will help you through it.” After about a pint of blood has been drawn, a very fashionable band-aid will be placed on the area. As a reward for saving lives, donors are given a snack and refreshments.

After giving blood, the Red Cross sends it to one of its processing centers where they will separate the red cells, platelets and plasma. Tests are performed to make sure the blood is safe, and to identify the blood type. They will then send the blood to hospitals all around the globe where it will be used to save lives. The blood drive will be held on Wednesday, April 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. located in the OHS wrestling room.