Wiregrass Ranch High School and Student Council are hosting the annual blood drive again this year. Two hundred Wiregrass students are expected to participate, although not all of them will be eligible to donate. Student Council will be running the drive, along with One Blood.

New Student Council sponsor, Jessia Diepholz, is hopeful for a good turnout this year.

“I hope at least 90 are able to donate blood, that is what we are hoping for. For every person that donates, three lives are saved,” Diepholz said.

Many students are excited to give blood for the first time this year. Junior, Destanie Aydt, is one of those students.

“This is actually my first time donating blood; I am excited to give something back and hopefully help save a life,” Aydt explains.

Others are happy people are donating because of personal family members that have needed blood in the past, like English teacher, Kristina Hurlburt-Porter.

“This blood drive is a great thing for everyone. My brother got in a car accident and needed blood, and if it was not for the people who have donated, he could have died,” Hurlburt-Porter commented.

Phlebotomist, Diana Puchalski has been coming to Wiregrass and helping with the blood drive since the school opened.

“I’ve been doing this for 15 years and I absolutely love it. The end result is amazing, because I know that we are saving hundreds of lives,” Diana Puchalski said.

Gallery • 6 Photos

Staff getting ready for the blood drive.

Update 10/23- 108 pints were collected during the Wiregrass blood drive from over 100 donors.