Team 359 and Waialua High School’s National Honor Society met with Sheri Yanagida and Lehua Darner of the Blood Bank of Hawaii on August 13th, 2008 to plan and train for the first of four blood drives to be held this year, set to take place on September 8th at the Waialua High and Intermediate School’s gymnasium. Ms. Yanagida and Ms. Darner volunteered to hold a blood drive preparation class for both the NHS and Team 359 to educate them on the organization of a blood drive and the importance of donating blood. Ms. Yanagida and Ms. Darner had a Power Point presentation set up for us to discuss the basics of hosting a blood drive. We were also shown videos of various people’s stories of how donors helped to save their lives.

After the blood drive class, the NHS and Team 359 joined to form committees to prepare for and workout the logistics of the blood drive. The committees consisted of education, recruitment, logistics, and refreshments. Each committee was given specific duties and had to plan within their own committee. The education committee was in charge of publicizing the event and educating the students and faculty of WHIS and community on the importance of giving blood, as well as answering the publics’ questions and concerns about donating blood. The education committee also held a skit on giving blood at our school pep rally. The recruitment committee was to recruit and remind donors of the upcoming blood drive and what the requirements were. They gave out sign-up sheets to get volunteers to participate in the annual blood drive. The refreshments committee planned and coordinated what refreshments are to be brought the day of the blood drive and who will bring them. They also set up donation boxes in the schools office and library; they also sent out donation letters to local businesses. Finally, the logistics committee reviewed what needs to be done thee day of the drive, all of which they will be in charge of. With the proper planning and coordination of the NHS and Team 359, we expect to have a successful blood drive with the help of blood donors!