Bleeding for a Cause

EAST PEORIA — It is a rare opportunity when a person can save a life from the comfort of a bed, and everyone at ICC will have the chance to do just that at the end of the month.

From Feb. 27 to 28, the Illinois Central College’s womens softball team will be hosting a blood drive in the Student Lounge from 9a.m. to 3p.m.

While blood drives might not be commonly associated with sports, it is nothing new for the women’s softball team here at ICC. After being previously sponsored by other student groups, the tri annual blood drive on campus has been overseen by the womens softball team for the last five years.

ICC’s head softball coach, Heather Doty, explained that the team has been holding the blood drives as a community service opportunity. “Which is great,” said Doty, “because it’s not only saving lives, it’s a great way for the softball players to interact with the student body.”

ICC’s Womens Softball Team will be there to make donors comfortable. They will greet them as they enter and give them a drink, t-shirt and pizza when they are ready to leave.

While the girls of the team play an important role in the blood drive, they won’t actually be drawing the donations. That’s where the event’s co-sponsor, The American Red Cross, comes in. Staff from the Red Cross will be there to handle the medical side of things.

Over the many years since the first blood drive at ICC in 1989, the event has been privileged with meeting their donation goals. The Red Cross has set the goal of about 50 donating persons for each day of the drive.

The typical person takes fifteen minutes and donates about one pint of blood, and their donated blood can possibly save three lives in a hospital. It is possible, however, to donate more.

To make an appointment, can call Heather Doty at (309) 694-5494.