The Seton Student Council partnered with the Southeast Iowa Blood Center to host a blood drive in April. The idea for the project came about when Carol Burnside, mother of then-sixth-grader Jennifer Burnside, and a coworker spoke to students about the importance of having a bank of blood for hospitals, and told of the various quantities needed in the community and surrounding areas.
Carol Burnside and her coworker explained who could give blood, how the blood was taken, tested and shipped through the center to the different organizations, and who received blood from the Southeast Iowa Center. The center then guided the student council and Principal Terri Schofield on organizing a drive and gave Seton a list of persons to contact to announce the drive.
On the day of the drive, the students helped prepare the cafeteria and sat at the front door to direct donors. Students set up a refreshment table and served cookies and juice to all donors before they left.
Fifth-grade teacher Joyce McLain was one of the first to roll up her sleeves, but not without an audience of students to watch closely — very closely! McLain didn’t seem to mind, though. At the end of the drive, the students had met their goal for number of donors, collected blood and seen up close how blood truly does save lives!
