Members of the Notre Dame community may save hundreds of lives today simply through the donation of their blood.
The Lewis Blood Drive will take place in the hall's basement from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today, and all the blood will be donated to the South Bend Medical Foundation.
"All of the blood stays local which is really exciting," said event organizer Leah Miller.
Miller is organizing the event with fellow Lewis Hall service coordinators sophomore Alice Shepherd and sophomore Alice Griesemer.
Just one pint of blood can save three to four people's lives, and the drive has already filled all available appointments with donors.
The coordinators gave Lewis residents the priority donor spots and then began a campus- wide search for donors, Miller said.
Miller said this is her 10th time donating blood. One of her main reasons for starting the drive is to make more people comfortable donating.
"I want people to get over their fear," Miller said, emphasizing that it only takes about 10 minutes of discomfort to save several lives.
Lewis rector Linda Cirillo said she sees the blood drive as another way to fulfill the message of Christ.
"It is one way of giving ourselves to our brothers and sisters," Cirillo said.
Although all appointments are filled, the blood drive accepts walk-ins and the coordinators hope more people donate than just those who signed up, Miller said.
The best time to come in without an appointment is before and after lunchtime, Miller said.
If someone cannot come during the regular drive hours, Miller said students could come after the drive's official hours because the nurses will probably be there until 6 p.m.
The drive particularly wants donors with type O negative blood because it is the universal blood type that can be transfused to virtually anyone, Miller said.
If someone is a bit too squeamish to donate, T-shirts will also be sold at the blood drive to benefit the New Orleans service project that sends students to New Orleans to help with Hurricane Katrina relief over fall break.
