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College community wins award for blood donation
By Stephen Wilson
Over 800 local community organizations, companies, and colleges organize about 2,000 blood drives a year, but only a few are recognized by Miller-Keystone Blood Center as Local Leaders.
In 2017, Lafayette College was one of 15 to earn the award.
To be eligible, a group must collect more than 200 units in a year. The College collected 211.
“One unit can help up to three patients,” says President-CEO Peter J. Castagna Jr., who was on hand to present the College with a plaque in the Farinon Center. “We work with 22 area hospitals, so the blood collected here stays here.”
Justin Ungerleider ’19 serves as the student coordinator, working to schedule blood drives, promote them, and encourage the College community to make an appointment. As a pre-med student, Ungerleider leads the Pard Projects team as part of MOSIAC, a Landis Center program that cultivates student leadership.
“I have always given blood,” he says. “So I love organizing our drives.”
Amber Zuber, director of the Landis Center, has sought the recognition since the program began three years ago.
And it seems crucial in order to maintain supplies. According to Castagna, 450 donors a day are needed to meet demand.
If you want to help, sign up for the next drive, set for 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday, May 2.