Seaford Students Team Up With Blood Center For Blood Drive

SEAFORD, NY. — The Seaford High School student council teamed up with the New York Blood Center last week to host a blood drive in the school gym, giving students and staff the chance to give blood at a time when the blood bank sorely needs it.

The blood drive came about two weeks after a blizzard hit New York, depositing record amounts of snow, canceling school for students across the island and shutting down New York Blood Center. That last impact, officials told Patch, resulted in more than 3,000 blood donations going by the wayside, a loss cut into the regional blood supply following the blizzard.

In Seaford Friday, more than 80 students stopped by to give blood, along with members of the staff at Seaford High. Students and staff were allowed to donate a pint of blood, with plasma and platelets getting separated from red blood cells and given back to the donors. The National Institute of Health says each pint of blood donated can save three lives.

District officials said students had to be 17 years-old to join the drive, or 16 years-old with parental permission to donate. Student council members kicked in to help out at the drive by signing in donors, escorting donors to the snack table after they gave blood and bringing out water, juice, cookies and chips for the members of the Seaford High community that came out to give blood.

“The blood drive brings people together who want to help the community,” student council President Olivia Anzelone said.

The drive, held under the theme, “Raise a green flag on saving lives,” was an important one for members of the student body both with and without personal connections to the service the blood bank offers.

“I donate blood because it’s special to me that I have the opportunity to save lives,” Senior Brian Falk said.

For Carmelo Riccobono, the memory of an injury suffered by his father about five years ago served as a personal reason to give. His father, district officials said, had needed blood in the wake of his injury.

“That’s why I donate,” Riccobono said. “I recognize the importance of it. It’s just something good to do for people who need it.”