Northmont’s blood drive tops expectations

Event had to move to bigger venue to accomodate donors.

Teacher/coordinator Julie Marshall (from left), Jon Thalman of the Community Blood Center and senior John Combs of Northmont participated in last week's Northmont High School Blood Drive in the school gymnasium. Staff photo by Marc Katz

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By Marc Katz, Staff Writer 3:32 PM Thursday, April 21, 2011

CLAYTON — So many students and staff signed up to give blood last Friday at Northmont High School, the event was moved from the auxiliary gym to the main gymnasium.

It was stuffed with blood screening and giving stations, rest areas and food stations for the donors.

“We had 245 spots and filled them all,” said calculus and algebra teacher Julie Marshall, who coordinates the yearly blood drive for the school along with Community Blood Center representative Jon Thalman.

“We could have filled more, but we didn’t have the room.”

Northmont has held its blood drive for more than 30 years. Thalman said it was one of the first schools in the country to do so.

“We begin at 8 a.m. and run through about 1:45 p.m.,” Marshall said. “But the kids who help work the event show up at 6:20 a.m.”

Students help collect and donate food from themselves, parents, teachers and local businesses. They man the various stages in the gym where donors go through screening processes, donate, then eat something before returning to class.

Senior John Combs has donated eight times, three times at the school and five times elsewhere.

“The first time, I was a sophomore,” Combs said. “My mom was big into donating, and it gave me personal satisfaction. We have spirit week leading up to this and the students really get into it.”

According to Thalman, the Blood Center needs to collect 350 units (about a pint per unit) every day to service 15 counties and 24 hospitals from as far north as Logan County, south to Warren and Clinton counties, east to Clark County and into three western Indiana counties.

Donors can give at the main office in downtown Dayton, one of four other satellite offices or on any given day at one of six mobile units sent around the area.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157 or mkatz@DaytonDaily News.com.

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