WKU’s Preston Center was filled with beds and machines from the Red Cross April 21-23, with a line of community members eager to save lives. 

The blood drive is a pinnacle of WKU’s Greek Week, dating back to the 1970s, Andrew Rash, associate director of student activities, said. 

“I was an undergrad 20 years ago, and it was well established even then,” Rash said. 

The blood drive works with the Red Cross, bringing around 50 paid Red Cross staff to the Preston Center. Last year the blood drive gathered 1,275 pints of donated blood, Rash said. All of which goes back into helping those in the community who need that blood to survive. 

“To donate one pint of blood has the ability to save up to three people’s lives,” Rash said. 

The blood drive saw a wide range of donors, from students and professors to non-student community members and even students’ parents. 

“We have family members that drive all the way here to save three lives,” said Emi Mizutani, a junior finance major. “It’s really exciting to see this all play out.”

Lauren Montgomery, a senior marketing major and blood drive chair for the Chi Omega sorority, brought her parents with her to donate blood. Her parents, from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, drove over an hour to donate. Her father, Jason Montgomery, said he makes the drive to donate “whenever she calls us”. 

Jason Montgomery praised the Red Cross staff for taking care of his wife, who is prone to passing out when donating blood.

“They are very caring,” Jason Montgomery said.

The blood drive not only gives back to the community but also teaches students the benefits of donating blood. 

“I think the big thing is we are creating lifelong givers of blood,” Rash said. “The first time I gave blood was at a Greek Week blood drive.”