Many people’s number one fear is needles.

From flu shots to sewing kits and to pine trees — it makes sense to be afraid of something that punctures your skin accidentally, or hopefully, on purpose. However, giving blood is actually one of the most powerful acts a person can do to contribute to their community.

For any students and teachers interested in donating blood, the American Red Cross is visiting Ben Davis High school on Tuesday, January 15, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sandra Ryden, the account manager for the Red Cross in our area, gave some insight into the process.

Students and teachers will have the option to go during class if given a pass, during lunch, or after school. The drive is located in the main gym in the upper north side — for those who aren’t cartographers, that’s the side closest to the cafeteria. If you wish to have a scheduled time to speed up the progress, register the day of the blood drive on the website https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/manage-my-donations/rapidpass.html or by searching up Red Cross Rapid Pass online. Only do this on the day of the blood drive, or else your registration could get lost in the shuffle.

If you’re interested in donating blood, it is important to make sure that you qualify and have all the paperwork necessary to get your blood drawn. If you’re 16, you can participate with a signed parent permission slip. Grab yours from the main office today and bring it with you tomorrow in order to donate. For those of us who are seventeen or over, a permission slip is unneeded.

However, regardless of your age, certain height and weight guidelines exist in order to keep donors healthy. Girls under the height of 5’1” and boys under the height of 4’10” are unable to donate. If you are female who is 5’1”, you must weigh at least 133 pounds to donate. As you get taller, the sliding scale goes down, until you only have to weigh 110 pounds to donate if you’re 5’6” or taller. For males, at the height of 4’10”, you must be 118 pounds, down to 110 pounds for those who are 5’ or taller.

On the morning of the blood drive and the night before, it is extremely important to stay hydrated and eat a healthy breakfast and lunch if you donate later in the day. To allow your body to recuperate quickly and successful after giving blood and to make sure your blood is healthy enough, you have to be in good shape. If you want to give blood but feel sick in any way, even if it’s only a small sore throat, it’s better to not give blood.

Keeping yourself safe and preventing the spread of any flu or cold is the top priority of the Red Cross. Additionally, if you’re diabetic, are pregnant or have recently given birth, or on any antibiotics, it could be recommended that you do not donate blood. If you’re interested in giving blood but might have an extenuating circumstance concerning your health, go to room A207 or C208 for more information.

In case all of the formalities or a fear of needles is holding you on the fence of your decision to donate blood, you should also know the positives of donating blood. For every pint donated, three lives could potentially be saved. Your donation could genuinely save a person in need. But if that type of incentive isn’t exactly the type you’re looking for, free shirts will be handed out to every person who donates. Not only that, but donating blood is genuinely cool. It shows that you’re brave enough to overcome any type of fear of needles in order to do a good thing, which will always be cool.

Our school’s goal is to have at least 105 pints donated during our blood drive. The Red Cross is offering incentives for certain milestones in our blood collection. They promise to give $300 for the first 30 pints of blood donated to our StuCrew club to donate to any organization of their choice. After that, every pint will add another $10 to donate.

No matter what your motivation is, blood is always in constant need, especially during winter. So this Tuesday, consider spending some time out of your day to try and help out another life, or just to get a shirt. Either way, you’ll be helping.