Students gave 70 useful pints of blood, or productive units, to the American Red Cross yesterday during a blood drive cosponsored by the Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS) that will continue until Thursday.
The goal of today's leg of the drive, which was set by a Red Cross donation recruiter, was 56 productive units.
In total, 85 potential donors showed up at Hodgdon Hall from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., of which 13 were deferred because they did not meet the Red Cross' standards of eligibility. Two students' blood could not be used once it was taken.
Up to three people can receive a transfusion for each unit of blood collected, according to Carol Dolan, the registered nurse in charge of the drive.
Some students had already set appointments, while others were walk-in donors.
"We had a steady stream of people coming in and we got 70 productive units, which is excellent," Dolan said.
Sometimes college students can have adverse physical reactions to having blood drawn, according to Dolan, but she said that she saw few such problems yesterday.
"We didn't have too many reactions," she said.
Dolan praised the rotation of LCS volunteers who came to help the Red Cross staff.
"They instructed each other as they came in the door," which freed the medical staff from worrying about delegating jobs to them, she said.
Students found the drive very efficient.
After twenty minutes at Hodgdon, junior Doug Matheson had already given blood. "I came in, I [already] had an appointment, I sat down for like two minutes and I was in," Matheson said. "Sometimes I've waited up to twenty minutes or a half an hour even with an appointment, but it was quick today."
Walk-ins like freshman Jesse Adams, who gave blood ten minutes after he signed in, were also pleased with the service they received.
"I had two conversations with some of the staff members while I was donating blood, and I learned a lot about how it works," Adams said.
Senior Jillian Russo, one of the LCS student volunteers at the drive, commended her peers for their donations. "I just think it's great to see so many students interested and willing to give blood, especially since so many people are afraid of needles and they still came to help out."
The drive workers offered all donors a free Red Sox t-shirt. Food and drinks were also available for them.
Prospective donors can register for appointments online at TuftsLife.com or by calling 1-800-GIVE-LIFE. The drive's hours for today and Thursday are 2-7 p.m.; Wednesday it will go from 12-5 p.m.
