Amid going to classes, purchasing textbooks and attending meetings, KU students yielded 43 units of blood during the first blood drive of the semester. The donations were enough to save the lives of 129 people, according to Tiffany Brown, the American Red Cross manager of the Central Pennsylvania region.
Sponsored by the American Red Cross, the event was held on Wednesday, Jan. 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the McFarland Student Union Building’s Multipurpose Room.
The goal for the blood drive was 31 pints of blood.
“The blood drive picked up around 11 this morning and stayed consistent throughout the rest of the day,” stated Corrin Ruggiero, American Red Cross Account Specialist.
By 1 p.m., more than a dozen students signed up to donate, which was the busiest hour of the event.
“This was the seventh or eighth time I donated blood,” stated freshman Nicholas Babura. “In high school I began to donate blood to get out of class, but now I do it because it helps save lives.”
Donors were treated to snacks and drinks served by Brown, Ruggiero and additional American Red Cross members.

By Marianella Orlando