CCS blood drive not canceled, extra disinfecting done

Chase County Schools in Imperial still held its scheduled blood drive Tuesday. 

The goal for Tuesday’s drive was 96 units of blood. They ended up short of that at 78 units.

“I’m really amazed at the number of people (who donated),” organizer Angie Paisley said.

Paisley said Tuesday morning during set-up for the drive, there were 80 appointments scheduled. Twelve of those appointments were PowerRed, which gets double the blood.

There was also a large number of walk-ins.

However, four potential donors were deferred and four units were not sufficient quantity.

“We had enough donors show up, but due to one less PowerRed bed and the extra disinfecting time things took longer,” Paisley said.

The waiting area—where chairs were spaced six feet apart to encourage social distancing—was constantly full the whole day, Paisley added.

At CCS’s drive, all donors had their temperatures taken upon arrival.

Student volunteers working the check-in desk wore gloves—which they changed with each donor—and routinely wiped down thermometers and tables with disinfectant wipes.

Donors were encouraged to put space between themselves and other donors and volunteers. 

Tuesday’s drive was in memory of CCS grad Bridgette Odens. A loyal blood donor, she died last year due to complications from a fall. Her treatment required surgeries which included blood transfusions.

Paisley said the Odens family and the CCS blood drive team were grateful to the donors who came in and stayed patient.

“This was for Bridgette,” she added.

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