Student council collects Chest ‘change’
By Donnie A. Lucas
The Albany Jr./Sr. High Student Council was busy collecting money for a community-wide cause on Sunday, and members are also planning a blood drive for next Wednesday, Nov. 10 at the high school.
About 20 members of the council gathered to go trick or treating on Sunday, but instead of just candy, they were collecting donations for the Albany Chest.
The group raised what is thought to be a record amount of $1,423, going door to door dressed in their Halloween finery.
The student council has traditionally helped collect money to go towards the Chest’s annual fund drive. This year’s the goal for the Chest is $46,000, which will be distributed among 25 local organizations.
“The kids did an awesome job,” co-sponsor and counselor Michaela Bradford said. “We think this is the largest total that the council has ever raised.”
The council has helped collect money for the Albany Chest for about 10 years, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blood Drive Set
The council is also sponsoring a blood donation drive next Wednesday, Nov. 10 at the high school.
Students and community members are urged to participate by signing up for an appointment at the school.
“There is a list outside of the counseling office to sign up,” Bradford said. “There were 29 time slots available on Tuesday.”
The drive will be held from 10:00 a.m. through 3:00 p.m. in front of the gym at the high school.
A check-in table will be set up in the foyer of the new gym.
Students as young as 16 years old can donate if they have a permission form completed by a parent. Older students can sign up on their own.
Seniors will be rewarded with a blood cord to wear at graduation if they donate twice or have three people donate in their name during two of the drives.
The drive is conducted by personnel with the Hendrick Regional Blood Center aboard one of the center’s customized buses.
The council typically sponsors a drive twice per school year – one in the fall and another in the spring.
Community members can request that their donation be given as credit for a senior who is unable to donate.
Donors will be screened to determine eligibility, although most people are able to donate despite taking common medications. A list of all recent medicines taken is required, as well as answering a few questions including if anyone spent time out of the country recently.
The blood center provides juice and a snack following the donation and asks donors to stay to be observed for a short period of time.
