Staller Center for the Arts was given an appreciation award from the New York Blood Center (NYBC) in recognition of their support with the West Campus Blood Drive hosted by the Student Blood Drive Committee. For every person who donated, Staller Center provided two movie vouchers for its Annual Movie Series.
“All in all, success is linked to the many giving hearts here at SBU. We are a family – and our amazing students always respond when called upon to serve others,” said Kathleen Valerio, Peer Education Program Coordinator for the Division of Student Health, Wellness and Prevention Services, and Advisor to the Student Blood Drive Committee. “It is an honor to support life-saving efforts with collaborations on our campus. Supported by students, faculty and staff, our blood drives serve to raise awareness of the need to donate, and present a unique opportunity to contribute to efforts saving lives.”
On the same day as the award presentation, the West Campus Blood Drive collected 195 donations in a single day despite sub-freezing temperatures and was the only blood drive that day on Long Island. For every donation of blood, there is the potential to save up to three lives. One in every seven people entering the hospital will need blood.
From 2016 to 2018, the blood drives collected a total of 5,338 pints of blood for NYBC with the potential of saving more than 16,000 lives. Each year, the blood drive has been held in the Student Activities Center. Future blood drives will be in various locations to accommodate other donors.
“I am fortunate enough to be a healthy individual that can produce my own healthy hemoglobin to transport oxygen all over my body. Why not give some of that to someone else? It’s going to regenerate anyway,” said Michael McDonagh, President of the Student Blood Drive Committee. “Knowing that one pint can save three lives is why we have such a passionate group of students on the committee and why organizations love teaming up and volunteering with us.”
The NYBC is one of the largest community-based, non-profit blood collection and distribution organizations in the United States. Other campus blood drives are managed through the American Red Cross student club and the University Hospital Blood Bank.
Collaboration for the West Campus Blood Drive includes the Student Blood Drive Committee; Student Health Advisory Committee; student organizations including Undergraduate Student Government, Graduate Student Organization, Student Health Services, Music & Medicine, Pi Lambda Phi, Theta Phi Alpha, and Theta Tau Professional Co-Ed Engineering Fraternity; and Staller Center and NYBC. Additional support provided by the Division of Student Health Wellness and Prevention Services, Student Activities Center, Office of the Dean of Students, Office of Government and Community Relations, and WUSB.
— Cohen Miles-Rath, Community Relations
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