10TH ANNUAL UNITY BLOOD DRIVE PART OF BUSY FALL AT FAIRMONT

10^TH ANNUAL UNITY BLOOD DRIVE PART OF BUSY FALL AT FAIRMONT

KETTERING, Ohio – Fairmont High School Kicked off the milestone 10th annual Unity in the Community Campaign with its"Unity Blood Drive" on Oct. 10.

It was not only the biggest Solvita high school blood drive of the fall, but it was also Fairmont’s biggest Unity Blood Drive turnout since before the COVID 19 pandemic, and it completed a blockbuster fall of achievement for Fairmont’s United Student Body.

The Fairmont Unity Blood drive totaled 195 donors, including 142 donors and 91 first-time donors, all the highest Unity numbers since 2019 and a 19% increase in donors from last year’s blood drive.

Fairmont and rival Alter High School partner with Solvita Blood Center and Universal 1 Credit Union to host fall blood drives then alternately choose a charity to receive the $1,000 award sponsored by Universal 1.

From 2015 to 2023 Fairmont and Alter Unity Blood Drives have combined for 2,105 donors, 1,703 donations, and 963 first time donors, with the Unity Campaign awarding $9,000 to local charities.

Fairmont’s 10-year Unity Blood Drive total is now 1,720 donors, 1,359 donors, and 811 first time donors, the highest of the eight schools participating in Unity campaigns.

Fairmont’s United Student Body sponsors the blood drives with volunteers from the Allied Health program. In September the USB completed its annual Spirit Chain competition with Centerville High School, raising $98,000 to Centerville’s $130,000. The USB then sponsored Fairmont’s Sept. 28 Homecoming events, prior to hosting the Unity blood drive.

“At first the Spirit Chain and the blood drive would have been the same week,” said Student Activities Assistant Coordinator Eric Rogers, who oversees the blood drives with Activities Coordinator Corey Miller.

“I’m glad it wasn’t, because we would not have been able to do everything! We can sit around now and take a deep breath. We have another blood drive in the spring but nothing as crazy as this fall has been for us!”

In the 2023-2024 school year Fairmont was Solvita’s third-ranked high blood drive with its two blood drives totaling 353 donors. Another top-performing year is now underway with help from 91 new donors, including sophomore Chesney Kenney.

“I always like the idea of helping people,” said Chesney, who became eligible to donate when she turned 16 in September. “I’m an organ donor too.”

“I’m very excited!” senior Devyn Teeple said about starting her final year at Fairmont. She juggled a hectic schedule to make her second lifetime donation.

“I’m working in a hospital at Kettering Health Main Campus as a nursing assistant, I’m medical assistant licensed, and I’m a varsity athlete in cross country and swimming,” said Devyn. “I want to do pediatric nursing. I want to help people.”

Schedule a blood donation with Solvita on the Donor Time app, by calling (937) 461-3220, or at www.donortime.com.

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Blood donation requirements: Donors are required to provide a photo ID that includes their full name. Past Solvita donors are also asked to bring their Solvita donor ID card. Donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 years old with parental consent: form available at www.solvita.org or at the Dayton Donation Center and mobile blood drive locations), weigh a minimum of 110 pounds (you may have to weigh more depending on your height), and be in good physical health. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) changes blood donor eligibility guidelines periodically. Individuals with eligibility questions can email canidonate@solvita.org or call (937) 461-3220. Make an appointment at www.DonorTime.com.

Solvita is an independent, not-for-profit organization with the mission of taking life further and making a lasting impact on the world by providing lifesaving and life-enhancing blood products and tissue grafts.

As a regional blood center headquartered in Dayton, Ohio Solvita collects, processes, and provides blood products to partner hospitals and health centers within our 18-county service area of western Ohio and eastern Indiana and to select hospitals and blood centers outside the region.

As a global tissue center Solvita provides services to donor families, medical communities, recipients, OPOs, and community partners through recovery, processing, and distribution of tissue grafts. We are a national tissue network with locations in Dayton, Ohio (Corporate Office); Fort Worth, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; Portland, Oregon; Toledo, Ohio; and Boise, Idaho. For more information visit www.Solvita.org.

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