Tarmac Online

By Aidan McGirr ’28

Dozens of Chaminade seniors packed the main gym on November 5th with saving lives in mind. This first senior blood drive of the year pushed Chaminade over the line for a miraculous milestone: 10,000 donations to the New York Blood Center since 2000. In recognition of this achievement, Chaminade received the Milestone Award from the New York Blood Center, which is presented to institutions that have reached 10,000 donations since 2000. Each subsequent milestone adds another rung to the award with the appropriate donation count listed. The New York Blood Center focuses primarily on non-profit blood collection and distribution throughout the United States.

The Chaminade seniors not only reached this milestone but also donated 119 pints of blood at the drive. Those 119 pints could potentially save up to 357 lives—approximately the size of an entire Chaminade graduating class. Looking at the cumulative 10,000 donations, Chaminade donors may have saved up to 30,000 lives between 2000 and 2025.

According to the American Red Cross, “Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.” This statistic underscores the critical need for blood donations and reinforces why the seniors participated on that Wednesday. The Red Cross also notes that while about 62% of the U.S. population is eligible to give blood, only about 3% actually donates. This gap demonstrates the growing need for this vital resource. Although donors may never know who receives their blood, they can take comfort in knowing they’ve helped save a life. While giving blood may seem daunting, one senior commented that it was an easy process, taking only 20-60 minutes from start to finish.

There are still many pints of blood left to donate, but this milestone serves as a testament to Chaminade’s commitment to service. A junior blood drive is scheduled for later in the year. As Christopher Geitner ’27 remarks, “The senior blood drive is a testament to Chaminade’s dedication. I’m looking forward to the junior one.”