Little docs on the clock

WEBUTUCK — The volunteers of today could be the donors of tomorrow. At least that’s the hope of the Little Doctors Program, hosted through the New York Blood Center.

Last Monday, Feb. 9, the Eugene Brooks Middle School hosted a community blood drive in conjunction with the Little Doctors program, which involves students in the process of giving blood even though they might be too young to donate.

According to New York Blood Center account manager Lisa Starzyk, who stopped by the school on Jan. 30 to give a presentation on the importance of giving blood, there are many ways to help the cause besides donating.

“The idea,� explained Starzyk, “is that I’ll see them when they’re in high school.�

Approximately 40 students in the sixth and seventh grades helped out in shifts, escorting donors to stations and helping to work the snack table. The seventh-graders also passed out handmade thank-you cards to each donor.

“I’ve always wanted to help,� said 12-year-old Maddie Miller. “It’s good to donate so people don’t die.�

“It’s nice to volunteer,� added her 13-year-old friend Domenica Bellantuono. “It’s the thought of giving.�

This is the first year that Webutuck has participated in the Little Doctors program, but Principal Dieter Schimmelpfennig says that he would like to hold two blood drives each year. He likes the program because it works into the science and health curriculum.

The blood drive took place from 2:30 to 8 p.m. in the gym. Donors must wait 75 days between donations, and Schimmelpfennig said that anyone who donated Monday will still be able to give to the popular Scholarship Drive, which is scheduled for April.

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