Marjory Stoneman Douglas JROTC hosting a blood drive on Sept. 29

Coral Springs, Florida – Marjory Stoneman Douglas’s JROTC is hosting a blood drive on Sept. 29 from 7:40 to 2:40 at the school.

Anybody interested in donating will need to bring identification and park in front of the school. The blood drive will be open to the public.

Donors will get a guest pass from the front office, where a JROTC cadet will escort them to the senior parking lot to donate.

Anybody interested in donating blood must be at least 16 years old and weigh no less than 110 pounds.

The blood drive is through OneBlood’s Joni Barret and battalion S5 Jia Ying Chen, according to an email from Eagles Battalion 5.

“We wanted to open this to the public because we feel like there are many people in the community who would like to donate but aren’t given the opportunity, especially since COVID hit,” Cadet Captain Chen said in an email. “We wish to be that platform that allows them to donate blood to this community.”

JROTC will receive money for scholarships while Blood donations will go to OneBlood.

Each community high school coordinates a committee to host a blood drive, according to Barret.

She said that one pint of blood could save up to three lives.

According to Barret, this is because the blood has three essential components: red blood cells, platelets, and plasma.

“This partnership offers the gift of life to another in a great time of need,” she said. “This life-saving community project offers students the ability to host and coordinate an event, educate their peers, and experience together [because of] how many lives they are able to save.”