Recently, Cathedral Prep hosted a blood drive, giving students the chance to make a contribution to the community in a direct way.

For many participants, the event was a first introduction to donating blood and to service like this entirely.

One student who donated, junior Lincoln Laquidara, said that a on campus blood drive was convenient and made the decision to donate easy.

“It’s very important for schools to host events like this because they make donations convenient and it introduces students to the community its service in a hands on way,” he said.

Most first time donors are nervous, but Lincoln said the reality of the process helped him put his fears to rest.

“It’s normal to be nervous, but the process is usually quick and safe,” Lincoln said. “The staff explains everything, and most people realize afterward that it wasn’t nearly as scary as they expected.”

The impact of a single donation really stood out to Lincoln.

“One person absolutely can make a difference,” he said. A single donation can help multiple people, and small actions from many people together can have a huge impact.” 

When it was over, Lincoln said he felt that he had a sense of personal fulfillment. “Even though you may never meet the person receiving the blood, knowing you could help save a life makes the experience meaningful.”

With blood supplies being a constant need, drives like this play a vital role in keeping donations available. For Cathedral Prep, it was more than just a one time thing, it was a lesson to everyone to show up and make a stride to help others.