AHS Red Cross Holds Life-Saving Donations to Keep Cup for Life

SARA HERNANDEZ
Staff Writer

Winter is here and it is time for the second Red Cross blood drive of the school year to be held on Jan. 29. Within the last few years, the Alhambra Unified School District’s high schools have donated more in blood drives, making it possible for Red Cross to host three blood drives throughout the school year. Throughout these three drives, the high schools will be competing against each other in the Cup for Life Challenge to see which school gathers the most number of donations. After every drive, the school who has the most donations will receive the cup and hold it until they are dethroned. After the first blood drive in October, AHS Red Cross received the Cup for Life.

“Our goal is for the cup to stay here. We are aiming toward the junior class to step up and save a life,” Red Cross adviser Debora Blais said. “Hopefully all the football players can [donate] this time.”

Students have three ways to sign up to donate. All Red Cross members have signup sheets with them and during lunch, Red Cross members are at the Quad and Third Street to help with sign ups. For this upcoming blood drive, Red Cross also implemented an online signup on Google Forms.

“Because Alhambra has been traditionally more active in collecting donors, we plan to continue and in the process, promote healthy competition,” Red Cross Blood Chair Kevin Kong said. “During the winter, the American Red Cross faces a shortage of donors due to severe weather patterns and this affects countless lives. We are trying to make a strong push to help alleviate this problem and prepare for arguably our biggest drive later this year in April.”