The Ocracoke School Beta Club and the American Red Cross will host a community blood drive in November.
The two-day drive Nov. 9 and 10 will be held in the Ocracoke Community Center. Hours for Nov. 9 are from noon to 6 p.m. and Nov. 10, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community,” said drive coordinator Bryson Schmidt. “Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every two to three seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetime.”
Schmidt said the Beta Club is participating in the Red Cross High School Scholarship program, in which they recruit blood donors and help at the event. They earn a scholarship based on what is collected.
“Last year a student in the senior class was awarded a $1,000 scholarship because the island collected 157 units of blood,” she said, and this year, they hope to do the same. “If we hit 150+ again, a student will receive $1,000.”
To make an appointment online, visit http://www.redcrossblood.org and type in Ocracoke’s zip code, 27960, in the search bar.
