Worcester Sharks Hold Annual Blood Drive

By Andrew Hirsch
 

As they have every summer since the franchise’s inception, the Worcester Sharks held their annual blood drive at the DCU Center on Thursday. This year marked the seventh straight year the Sharks and the DCU Center have hosted this event.
 

Donors as young as 16 showed up to give blood, each receiving two ticket vouchers to a Sharks regular season game as well as a ticket to opening night of the Ringling Bros & Barnum and Bailey Circus on October 3^rd at the DCU Center. In total, more than 80 donors gave blood this year.

Adam Webster of the Red Cross ran the event. Webster, who also serves as the Sharks’ in-game MC during the hockey season, was encouraged by the turnout on Friday.
 

“People always need blood, but summer is the most difficult time for donations since high schools and colleges account for 20% of all donations,” he said. “So having events like this are very important to us to make sure we have enough blood to go around.”
 

Held in the Convention Center lobby, the drive went for six hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. According to the Red Cross, one pint of blood can save up to three lives, so every donation counts.
 

“The Worcester Sharks step up every year to help out the community,” Webster added. “There’s no substitute for blood, so the only way to get the supply we need is from willing members of our community.”
 

According to Webster, donors are allowed to give blood every 56 days, and healthy people are encouraged to give as often as they can.
 

Among those who donated was 18-year-old Emily Hogan.
 

“This is my second time giving blood, and I really enjoy being able to help,” she said. “I hope to come back and donate many times again in the future.”
 

If fans are interested in donating blood or volunteering for the Red Cross in the future, please call (800) RED-CROSS or visit http://www.redcrossblood.org/ for more information.