Small Gives Back In Big Way

    Faith Small finds value in giving back and helping others. She works as a Certified     Nurses Assistant, helping residents at Wheatcrest Hills in Britton and has her eye on a future career in physical therapy. Another way she has found to give back is by donating blood. Small not only has done this multiple times but recently helped organize a scholarship blood drive that would encourage others to aid in this effort. 
    Small, who just graduated from Britton-Hecla High School, explains that she learned of the chance to host such a blood drive in her Biology II class. The class regularly holds a blood drive at the school and teacher Christina Bosse informed the class of other opportunities for blood donation efforts. A scholarship blood drive through the company LifeServe was one such opportunity. 
    LifeServe provides blood to nearly 40 hospitals in South Dakota, including the Marshall County Healthcare Center.  “LifeServe offers scholarship opportunities for students ages 16 through their junior year in college if they host a blood drive during our critical need months of May through September, December, and January,” explained LifeServe Territory Representative Abbie Arneson. 
    Small, who had been donating blood since her sophomore year of high school and had earned a red graduation cord for the effort, thought a scholarship blood drive sounded like a worthwhile cause. “I thought this would be a good way of helping others,” she emphasized. “We live in such a giving community that I wanted to find some way to help.” 
    So Small went to work. She reached out to LifeServe and started rounding up donors. She needed a certain amount of people to give blood for the scholarship part of it to kick in.
    Arneson explains, “If a student gets 40 individuals to register to donate blood, then they will receive a $500 scholarship and if they have 25 individuals register, they will receive a $250 scholarship.  These scholarships are paid directly to the student’s academic institution.”
    Small’s efforts paid off. At last Tuesday’s blood drive, 32 individuals registered to donate, 29 donors were able to donate, and 35 units of life saving blood were collected.  The units donated at the blood drive can help up to 105 patients. 
    First-time LifeServe Donors last week included Sheila Anderson, Carrie Krier, Jordan Stabnow, Cory Stevenspester, Jeff Thayer, and Fran Wookey. Lifeserve milestones were reached by Julie Hagen (1 Galloneer) and Kelley Beck (6 Galloneer).                              
    Small will receive a $250 scholarship for her work orchestrating the event. She will be attending Lake Area Tech this fall. She hopes to chair another blood drive in the near future and encourages her peers to both give blood and organize similar drives. “I know younger people can be scared or nervous to give blood,” she said. “But I would suggest at least giving it a try once. It is very rewarding.” 
    “LifeServe’s Scholarship Program is a wonderful way for students to service their community, help save lives, and earn money for college at the same time,” stressed Arneson.  “I am thrilled that Faith took advantage of this opportunity and she did a wonderful job!”
    Arneson added, “We could not help patients in our 39 South Dakota hospitals, including Marshall County Healthcare Center, without communities like Britton and your amazing volunteers and donors like Faith.”
    Arneson also encourages that if there are any students interested in holding scholarship blood drives in the future to reach out to her at 605-626-1620. The next Britton blood drive will be Aug. 13 from 12:30 pm - 5:30 pm at the Britton Events Center. Text ‘LIFESERVE’ to 999-777 to make your next appointment.