Blood Drive draws full house in Katrina’s wake

Freshman Dora Chang: “I watched the news about Katrina and thought this would be a good way to contribute.”

2:07 p.m., Sept. 14, 2005--The Blood Bank of Delamarva drew 118 units of blood Tuesday from 158 prospective donors at the Trabant University Center. More members of the UD community--many who said they were motivated by the desire to help victims of Hurricane Katrina--offered to donate blood than the blood bank could accommodate.

“I watched the news about Katrina and thought this would be a good way to contribute,” freshman Dora Chang said. She was lying on a lounge chair, one of six set up to accommodate the students, staff and faculty members lined up to give blood in Trabant’s Multipurpose Room.

That seemed to be the consensus as UD students and employees waited to donate blood or munched on cookies and donuts after their donations.

Marianne Lazorick, Blood Bank of Delmarva supervisor, said she thought Hurricane Katrina and the fourth anniversary of 9/11 had a lot to do with the overwhelming turnout. Blood drive sponsors Sigma Chi fraternity and Alpha Phi sorority filled all 135-appointment slots by Monday, Lazorick said. In addition, there was a waiting list, along with walk-ins all day.

Phlebotomist David Hall prepares to draw blood from senior Laura Marshall.

“We’re very happy with the turnout. This is our first blood drive of the season, the big one comes in November. Last year, we had 850 donors just at UD,” Lazorick said.

Freshman Stephen Douglas said he has given blood before because he knows “it helps people,” but Katrina was added incentive this time. Christopher Anderson and Ron August, both freshmen, and Angela Pupitone, a sophomore, said they, too, were there to help Katrina victims.

Article by Barbara Garrison
Photos by Sarah Simon, AS ‘06

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