Westfield Vocational-Technical High School You Lead students Megan Ilnicky, right foreground, helps Nick and Effie Peroulakis, left, with the blood drive paperwork as You Lead student Cathie Iglesias, records the information on a computer during an American Red Cross blood drive sponsored by the You Lead student-run group. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – Students from the “You Lead” Program at Westfield Vocational-Technical High School were in a large room just inside the Amelia Park Ice Arena doorway, receiving blood donations to give to the American Red Cross.
The group collected 54 lifesaving units of blood at closing time, and over the past eight years, blood drives at the arena have collected almost 400 units.
“We’re a student-run organization aimed at trying to create better environments for our community and our school,” said Megan Ilnicky, a recent WVTHS graduate who has been involved with the program since her sophomore year. “We’re a drug and alcohol-free program and do community service events where we run blood drives partnering with the United Way and Red Cross.”
Brian King, a blood technician for the American Red Cross, inspects a bag of blood during a blood drive sponsored by the You Lead students of Westfield Vocational-Technical High School. The blood drive was staged at the Amelia Park Ice Arena Wednesday. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
“The community has already done so much for me at Voke that I always feel like giving back. It’s always nice to help out other people, because you never know when you’ll be in a time of need,” she said.
You Lead has put on numerous events that have drawn large crowds and raised large sums of money for some noble causes, including a car wash to help a local girl who was stricken with a rare form of cancer, and assisting the Westfield Police Department on several occasions, such as with the first Run Westfield 5K Race in memory of fallen WPD Officer Jose Torres.
A makeshift waiting area was set up in the main lobby of the Amelia Park Ice Arena as part of an American Red Cross blood drive Wednesday. The blood drive was organized by Westfield Vocational-Technical High School students of the You Lead group. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
You Lead was represented by four students on the afternoon – graduates Ilnicky and Cathie Iglesias, senior Katie Nesmelova, and sophomore Vitaliy Melnik – who helped Red Cross workers with donors.
“I like giving back to the community, whether it’s here at a blood drive or helping out at the police station,” said Nesmelova. “Our big thing is to get people to sign up for You Lead because our group has gotten a lot smaller. We have about 15 or 20 in the (You Lead) program.”
“It feels great helping out the community. Next year, we’re going to have four blood drives,” said Melnik, before attesting to the need for the You Lead program to regenerate itself. “We had five or six seniors leave this year.”
As for the need for blood donations, Jecoliah Ellis, external communications manager for the Massachusetts Red Cross, said the need for blood units is “critical” at the moment.
“The American Red Cross is facing a looming blood shortage, which is leading to an urgent need for donors of all blood types,” said Ellis, urging Bay Staters to roll up their sleeves and donate.
“Donations through the Red Cross are down approximately 8 percent over the last 11 weeks, and that’s resulting in about 80,000 fewer donations nationwide,” she said. “To prevent emergency shortages and an adequate supply all summer long, we especially need platelet donors with type O negative, type E negative, and type A negative blood.”
“By encouraging people to come out, we’re working hard to prevent an emergency shortage,” she said. “Right now we’re meeting the needs of possible patients, and we hope to continue that part of our lifesaving mission – to make sure blood is available whenever and wherever it is needed.”
Ellis also noted that prospective donors can reach out to the Red Cross by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visiting redcrossblood.org to make an appointment.
As is Red Cross policy, a blood donor card or driver’s license, or two other forms of identification are required at check-in.
Only individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
The You Lead Program will be holding another Red Cross blood drive on Thursday, August 21 at the Westfield Evangelical Free Church from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
