WESTBOROUGH — Girl Scouts Troop 65133 will host its second annual community blood drive on Saturday, May 23, to benefit patients at Boston Children’s Hospital.
The drive will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. aboard the blood-mobile at Tatnuck Bookseller in Westborough. Organizers are encouraging local residents to donate and help address an ongoing blood shortage affecting hospitals nationwide.
Last year, members of Troop 65133 organized their first blood drive as part of a service project that earned them the Girl Scout Bronze Award, the highest honor available to Girl Scouts in fourth and fifth grade.
The inaugural event collected 33 units of blood, enough to help as many as 132 patients at Boston Children’s Hospital.
"We were looking for a way to help people in our community and we found that although there is a nationwide blood shortage, there are limited opportunities to donate blood without traveling to Worcester or Boston, so we decided to help by providing another opportunity to donate blood in Westborough so that people don't have to travel as far," said Troop 65133 leader Fiona McDonald. "Last year the community supported our efforts and we hope they'll come out to support us again this year, and also support the other blood drives that are offered in Westborough throughout the year so that patients at Boston Children's Hospital get the blood they need."
Girl Scout Esme said the troop quickly realized how many local families have connections to Boston Children’s Hospital.
“Before we planned our first blood drive, we talked to people and found out that a lot of them had been to Boston Children’s Hospital or knew someone who had,” Esme said. “We like helping people in Westborough, but we also think it’s nice that we’re kids helping other kids who are in the hospital.”
“I also think it's really cool that with just one blood drive we can help a lot of people - that's really awesome!” she added.
Residents interested in donating can register online here.
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