Fraternity hosts successful blood drive

More than 60 students participated in a blood drive in Thurston Hall Monday sponsored by Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and the American Red Cross.

The Red Cross contacted the fraternity two weeks ago because of a recent blood shortage in D.C. and Sigma Phi Epsilon’s past participation in blood drives.

“They were down to a one-and-a-half-day supply of blood in Washington, D.C. There was a danger of not having enough blood transfusions, and they know we’re an organization that gets a large turn out for blood drives,” said Vice President of Programming for Sigma Phi Epsilon Matthew Mandell.

He said the drive was the fraternity’s most successful since it started hosting drives in 1999, collecting 57 units of blood compared to last year’s 37.

Red Cross employees said they were impressed with the results. Jonathan Spurlin, a team manager who headed the drive, said the drive received almost twice as many units as its goal.

“The blood donated at the Sigma Phi Epsilon blood drive will go to supply the 90 hospitals in the Red Cross Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Region, which uses between 800 and 1,100 units every day,” he said.

Although the drive was not open exclusively to Thurston Hall residents, fraternity members said those living in the residence hall were most of the walk-in donors.

Some students were turned away because the organizers ran out of bags to hold blood, Mandell said.

Fraternity members cumulatively logged 48 hours and 18 minutes at the drive.

Participants waited in the lobby for their numbers to be called, urging others to donate.

“My father is a cancer doctor,” freshman Elon Shore said. “I’ve given blood here and in other countries. It’s a good way to help out and it
doesn’t hurt me.”
-Blake A. Ehrlich