MTSU Red Cross Club hosts first blood drive of semester

Photo and story by KeWana McCallum / Contributing Writer

MTSU’s Red Cross Club hosted a blood drive in the James Union Building on Monday in order to assist those who are currently in need of blood donations that the organization can provide. 

Red Cross Club President Shivan Berwari created the organization to increase the blood supply of the school. The first blood drive that the organization hosted was last year in November where 450 units of blood were collected and donated.

Berwari said that it wasn’t enough.

“We wanted to triple the blood output of MTSU within the first year,” he said.

This year, the organization will be doing things differently by increasing the amount of blood drives. Instead of doing one blood drive each year, the organization will be hosting a total of four each year.

According to Berwari, getting the blood drive started was not an easy task. Berwari said that administrative costs were an issue because they didn’t pay for the venue, and the university’s food policy required that they have certain snacks at the blood drive.

MTSU freshman Susan Pinkston, a communications major, was at the event on Monday and said that she has given blood at different events three times.

Andres Jara, an MTSU junior majoring in marketing, said that he has given blood twice. The very first time he gave blood, Jara was nervous, but now has gotten used to the act. Giving blood today was different for him because he was doing it for a different cause. Since Hurricane Irma, many people have been left homeless, without family and food. Hurricane Jose will also be hitting the coast soon. According to Jara, this means that even more people will be affected by the storms. Jara said that he gave blood for those people who are injured and may need the blood.