English students donate blood for marathon victims

LYNN – Nicole Morales would have given two pints of blood during Lynn English High School’s blood drive Friday sponsored by the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps and held in honor of the Boston Marathon bombing victims, but they said one was enough.”I wanted to give two but they weren’t doing that,” said the 18-year-old senior. “Because it’s for the Marathon.”JROTC cadet Lisa Romero spearheaded the blood drive, which drew dozens of students to the field house to participate.Romero said the JROTC generally does two blood drives a year, one in the fall and one in the spring, and they usually revolve around a theme.”Our last one was in October, so we did a whole Halloween theme,” she said.This time the theme of choice was easy.View a photo galleryThe hallway leading to the gym was dotted with international flags, similar to the ones flown at the finish line of the marathon. Participants leaving the blood drive also crossed a “finish line” that was laid out with blue and yellow streamers, the colors of the Marathon, Romero pointed out.JROTC volunteers signing students in and those monitoring the drive decked themselves out in Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots jerseys.”And we all have blue and yellow ribbons,” she added.Romero said while they had planned a spring blood drive, they had yet to set the date. Sgt. Major Oswald, who heads the JROTC program, received a call asking them to bump up the drive because the Red Cross was in need of blood.Maureen Wellman, spokesman for the Red Cross, said actually the Boston area has a sufficient blood supply but will need more in the days and weeks ahead.”Generally we’re looking for steady donations all year,” she said. “It doesn’t hurt that they’re doing this.”Friday morning students lined the hallway, either recovering from donating or waiting to give. Romero said they always have a healthy number of students sign up to donate, but because this was in honor of the marathon victims, their numbers were even higher.Morales agreed that it was a big deal.”This is my third year donating,” she said. “This is for the Boston Marathon ? this is important.”Romero said it made her feel very good that so many students were taking it seriously.JROTC cadet Jereme Harris-Walker helped out at the blood drive but not everyone was taking him seriously. Dressed as Superman, cape and all, Harris-Walker said his job was to cheer on and cheer up the donors.Noticing that every bed in the gym was filled with students donating and seeing the students still waiting to give, Romero folded her arms across her chest and smiled.”This is really cool,” she said. “I just love it.”Chris Stevens can be reached at [email protected].