Downey’s ASB assisted the Cedar-Sinai Blood Donor Services for the yearly fall Blood drive; this event was placed in the school’s gymnasium on Friday, September 23. Downey’s ASB wants students to be conscious of issues outside of themselves. This event was the chance for students to help save lives.

Downey’s ASB commissioner of campus and community, Senior, Laylah Gorelo, talks about the opportunity students had to donate this year.

“Since we have such a large population at our school it is nice to get everybody involved and donate back to the community,” Gorelo said, “ and we do have a lot of people who want to.”

Students were given an appointment sheet that told them which period they were scheduled to donate. Some ASB students sacrificed their full school day to supervise and help at the event.

Student, Clarissa Cancha speaks of her cause for donating.

“Helping others can give someone a self healing feeling” states senior Clarissa Cancha, “because knowing I’m helping makes me happy, also me donating might even save life.”

When students first arrived at the gym, ASB had to check their consent forms. Students would then check in, answer a personal questionnaire, get checked by hematologists, who were standing by to make sure the student had the correct weight limit and were healthy enough to donate, and then students would wait a short time to give blood.

Some students have been influenced by older students who have donated like, junior wrestler Natalie Flores, states “I’ve planned to donate for a long time because my brother did it when he was in high school, he made me look forward to it and now I’m old enough to do it.”

This years turnout was a total of 211 students, teachers and administration. Downey’s ASB hopes for a bigger and larger turnout throughout the future years.