Almost all of the 130 donor slots available for the April 2 blood drive sponsored by student council are close to being filled.

“This year the hospital was promised 80 units of blood,” sophomore Meredith Campidilli said. Campidilli, who has organized the drive along with other student council members, hopes that the school can meet that goal. “There are more than 80 people signed up, but not everyone will end up being able to donate due to low iron levels, for example.”

Donors must be 16-years-old and at least 120 pounds. Students can sign up in the office and during lunch.

Carrie Ross, who works with LifeServe, also has some tips about what you should do before you donate. “I always stress the importance of eating a good meal before you donate, being well hydrated and well rested,”  Ross said. Students are also allowed to change their minds about donating at any time.

Johnston is just one of many schools that has blood drives. Other schools that LifeServe gets donations from include schools in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. “Education amounts make up 20 percent of what we collect each year,”  Ross said, who started donating blood during high school. She also worked with a LifeServe blood center at a local business where she was an intern during a summer in college.

Sometimes it is not easy setting up blood drives at schools. This can be for a variety of reasons, mostly because of other activities that schools have going on. “During football season many coaches discourage the players involvement of donating because they have practice or game later that evening,” Ross said.

The recent resignation of student council adviser Chris Beguhn complicated organization of the drive.“Being a sophomore, and especially not having our long-time adviser Mrs. Beguhn to help, certainly made the process more difficult,” Campidilli said.