The Associated Students of Central Oregon Community College want your blood–but only if you’re willing to go to the Campus Center and donate it.

By Cedar Goslin

Today (June 27) from 10 am to 3 pm is the ASCOCC’s summer blood drive, and according to Kelly Huskey, branch campus coordinator and 2012-2013 council re-elect, it is a success. The projected goal was to have 35 students sign up to give blood, according to Huskey, and with a total of 36 students on the list, that goal was met. There have also been a lot of walk-in donors, Huskey added, and she hopes to see more throughout the day.

“We always welcome walk-ins,” she said.

Every term the ASCOCC partners with the local Red Cross to bring a blood drive to the COCC Bend campus.

“The need is constant,” said Huskey, explaining why this event is important to ASCOCC. “There’s always going to be someone who needs blood.”

Next year’s council is hoping to expand the blood drive to other campuses, according to Huskey. Starting in fall 2012, the Redmond campus will also have a blood

drive every term. In addition to expanding to some of the other campuses, Huskey is hoping to incorporate bone marrow testing into the regular blood drives. Interested participants will have their mouths swabbed by Red Cross volunteers, and those samples will later be tested to see if the participant is a bone marrow eligible donor. Huskey said she hopes to

incorporate these tests as early as fall, but is not certain whether or not that will be a possibility.Timothy Anderson was one of the 36 students that signed up for the summer blood drive– and this wasn’t his first time.

“I think this is my second gallon [of donated blood],” said Anderson. He has been donating blood in the ASCOCC-sponsored blood drives since he first started attending COCC, one and a half years ago.

“It saves lives,” said Anderson.

He encouraged students to donate blood, even if they happen to be a little squeamish because “it’s all worth it in the end.” Though Anderson himself has never had a problem with nausea or getting light headed when he donated blood, he advised potential donors to drink plenty of water and make sure not to go in on an empty stomach.

The next ASCOCC blood drive will be in fall term, on Oct. 31, and may have some sort of Halloween theme, according to Huskey.

The summer blood drive will continue until 3 pm today (June 27) and walk-in donors will be accepted until that time.

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