MIAMISBURG, Ohio – Friendly rivals Miamisburg and West Carrollton High Schools completed their 10th annual Unity in the Community Campaign by joining together to help save lives, and to help “man’s best friends” at the Greater Dayton Lab Rescue.
Miamisburg and West Carrolton held the first “Unity in the Community” Campaign in 2014 in partnership with Solvita (formerly Community Blood Center) and Universal 1 Credit Union. Since then, the Unity campaign has grown to include eight rival schools with more than $25,000 awarded.
Each year the traditional rivals host Solvita blood drives and alternate choosing a charity to receive the $1,000 Unity Award, sponsored by Universal 1.
The check presentation took place at halftime of the Jan. 2 Miamisburg vs. West Carrollton men’s basketball game in the MHS gym, and for the first time in the campaign’s 10-year history, a dog was one of the award recipients.
Miamisburg High broke from tradition in choosing the Greater Dayton Lab Rescue as this year’s recipient.
“We realized it was an underserved charity that deserves a lot of attention,” said MHS Student Body Vice President Annabella Farlaino. “Dogs can’t really speak for themselves, so we can advocate for them,” said MHS Senior Class Governor Cora Stevens.
GDLR foster home host Mackenzie Von Handorf and her daughter Georgia accepted the check and brought along rescue dog “Comet,” who is currently available for adoption. (Learn more at https://www.gdlrr.org ).
“A lot of this will go to providing for the basic needs of the pets,” said Mackenzie. “We also had some complex cases, including a dog that was hit by a car, that required thousands of dollars in vet bills.”
Miamisburg High began the 2023-2024 Unity Campaign by registering 121 donors for its Nov. 17, 2023 Unity blood drive. West Carrollton held its Unity blood drive Dec. 7, 2023 and totaled 78 donors. Together the schools totaled 199 donors, 152 units donated, and 139 first time donors.
Helping a local charity is fundamental to the Unity Campaign. Last year the schools presented the $1,000 Unity Award to West Carrolton High “Pirates Packs” meals program for at-risk students.
Participating in the presentation: Miamisburg High School Principal Michael Black, Senior Class Governor Cora Stevens, Student Body President Noah Engle, and Vice President Annabella Farlaino; West Carrollton blood drive coordinator PJ Carlisle, WCHS Student Body President Madi McCune, Vice President Denise Egnor, Secretary Mailynn Dillon, Senior Class Senator Victoria Babb, Secretary/Treasurer Grecia Valverde, Vice President Carsen Oda, and Junior Class President Ben Martin; Universal 1 Credit Union Marketing Manager Sam McClain, and Solvita Blood Center Account Manager Donna Teuscher.
Schedule an appointment to donate with Solvita (formerly Community Blood Center) 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 and Medford, Oregon; Toledo, Ohio; and Boise, Idaho. For more information visit www.Solvita.org.
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