They also help at the canteen, and direct traffic. Ms. Tina Metzer, from the Red Cross, comes each year to the school to tell the children about the process the blood goes through from the time it is donated until it is used. The most important job the children have is signing up people to donate blood. An added incentive for the children is that the class with the best percentage of donors will win a pizza party. Two parties are given, one for primary grades and the other for intermediate grades.
Local businesses help with the blood drive by donating items for a drawing.
Mrs. Shuman is very proud to say that when the Blood Drive Community Service project started in 1998 it was the only one in the United States. Since 1998 she has made videos and written numerous reports about the project which are now being used in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. According to Mrs. Shuman, response from the public continues to amaze her. In 1999 the number rose to 181 pints collected. Thinking that the 1999 number would be hard to surpass, Mrs. Shuman was totally surprised at the final total of 229 people who came to donate this year and that 202 pints were given.