Cypress College held their 4th annual Donate A Day of Service charity event on Oct. 2, where students and faculty members volunteered their time and energy to help the community through various local and on-campus charities. One of the major draws of the event was the two-day blood drive, sponsored by the Associated Students.
Freida Lugo (left) and Jocelyn Caragoza (right) register students for the blood drive outside the student activities center.
The blood drive ran from 10:00 to 4:30 p.m. on the 2nd and 3rd in the Student Activities Center. With the help of medical staff from the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, over 150 students gave blood on the first day alone. By 2:30 p.m. on the second day, another 110 had come in, surpassing the staff’s goal of 175.
“I wanted to help out because I’m part of the associated students and a leader on campus, and I find that helping and giving back is something that a leader should do,” said volunteer Jocelyn Caragoza, 20, who was helping to register students for the blood drive. “Since I’m a nursing major, this is something I’d be doing regularly. Not just the volunteer work, but actually drawing blood and helping to take care of people.”
Another volunteer, 20-year old psychology major Freida Lugo, shared a similar sentiment. “it’s my first semester here and I feel that it’s part of my duty to help with the blood drive since I want to be a leader on campus. I also just like volunteering my time, both as a student on campus and as a civilian.”
20-year old music major Hector Armendariz donating blood for the first time.
Of the hundreds of students who showed up to give blood, there were a few veterans along with many first-time donors. Dylan Matthews, a 19 year old culinary arts major, proudly declared that it was his fourth time giving blood.
“I’m happy to help save a life,” he said.
Others, such as 19-year old psychology major Joselyne Carpio, have been looking forward to their chance to give blood for the first time.
“Every other time I’ve tried to do it I’ve either been underweight or my iron was down,”she said. “I’ve always wanted to donate because I know people who’ve needed blood and I want to be someone who can actually help them.”
Joselyne Carpio, 19-year old psychology major, recovers from her first blood donation.
Hector Armendariz, a 20-year old music major, had a pretty simple reason. “I’ve never done it before, and I wanted to try it.”
Whatever their reasons may be, the number of students who participated is quite commendable, and hopefully the number continues to grow with every year of the event.
Featured image: Volunteers from the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center assist with the blood drive in the student activities center. Photos by Rachel Dick.
