BRIEF: American Red Cross comes to Valley College

Valley College hosts the American Red Cross to accept blood donations from students and faculty.

Ruby Aguilar, a psychology major at Valley College, is squeezing an object to help her blood flow easily into a blood bag during the American Red Cross’ blood drive event that was held on campus between the south gym and the aquatics center on Monday, March 21. (Isaiah Zarco/The Valley Star)

Three nurses drew blood from Valley College students on Monday across from the Behavioral Science building in an American Red Cross truck.

American Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that provides support to victims of disasters, collecting and distributing about 40 percent of people’s blood given to hospitals and used for transfusions with the help of volunteers. The nonprofit has been operating for 140 years and transfuses 6.8 million units of blood a year.

Bob Woodall, an account manager who sets up blood drives, sat in front of the truck in his red shirt. Woodall checked in 22 people for their blood donation by 3 p.m. Waters, cookies, and Cheez-itz were offered to students after they donated blood.

According to Woodall, who runs 30 blood drives a month, the donation truck travels from Santa Clarita to Lancaster to collect 300 blood donations. Three hundred blood donations can save 900 lives. As stated in Cedars Sinai, just one unit can save three lives.

Ammon Charash, a former NASA scientist who retired in the 1970s and now studies engineering at Valley, has O positive blood type. Charash is no rookie to donating his blood, and states he enjoys knowing he can save lives.

“This would be my 96th blood donation in the last 45 years,” said Charash.

— Isabella Vodos