What started as a one-time idea 22 years ago will conclude on Wednesday for a Franklin Park Middle School Science Teacher in Salem who retired this year.
Joni Dorff says the blood drive has become part of the curriculum on the circulatory system.
“At first I thought, we’ll just do this one year and see how it goes,” Doff said. “I didn’t know that it would do as well, because most of the people in the building are not sixteen and can’t even donate. The kids took off with it. They enjoy it, they get so involved with it, and it’s been one of my favorite parts of the school year.”
The students’ involvement is wide-ranging.
“There are going to be some kids working at the registration table, the refreshment table. They’re going to wear the blood drop costume to recruit some donors. They go to the radio station to put out a message. They also go down to Mr. Lux’s room and record a school reach message. And, of course, they go out and recruit the donors, so they’re a big part of it. I take them all down to there to see the blood drive the day of, to see how it’s set up and get them involved.”
Dorff says she’s always happy to see former students now giving blood.
Each student who recruits at least one person to give blood will receive a blood drop pillow from the Red Cross. There are also contests for those who bring in the most donors.
The blood drive is set for two to six Wednesdays afternoon at the Franklin Park Middle School gym. Appointments can be made in advance through the Red Cross app or by calling 1-800-Red-Cross.
The goal is 86 units of blood. In one recent year, the donations reached 100 units of blood. To date, the blood drives have collected 1,612 units of blood.
