CHARLOTTESVILLE — Eastern Hancock High School was one of four Hoosier high schools to win the Indianapolis Colts Leadership Challenge for the highest number of blood donations during the summer months. For the seventh straight summer, the Indianapolis Colts teamed with Versiti Blood Center of Indiana to challenge high school football teams across the state to help save lives by playing host to local blood donation drives.
In Indiana, 560 blood donations are needed each day to meet the needs of Indiana Blood Center’s 80 partner hospitals across the state. However, donations typically drop nearly 20 percent in the summer months. The center is without blood donations received through drives at high schools and colleges; students contribute 30 percent of Indiana’s blood supply each year.
Since June, 53 high school football teams have answered the call, collecting 1,467 total blood donations across the state in the 2019 Colts Leadership Challenge.
The four schools who won for holding the largest blood drives include North Vermillion High School in Cayuga with 82 donations, Delphi Community High School in Delphi with 56 donations, Noblesville High School with 53 donations and Eastern Hancock High School in Charlottesville with 26 donations.
Players and coaches at the winning schools were given VIP in a visit to Colts Training Camp at Grand Park in Westfield this month.
Blood donations are still needed throughout Indiana to combat remnants of a summer shortage Versiti Blood Center of Indiana has experienced since June.
Donating blood takes about an hour. Anyone age 17 or older in good health who meets eligibility requirements is encouraged to give. Parental consent is required for donors age 16 to donate blood. Donors should bring a photo ID that includes their birth date.
Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. To schedule an appointment to donate blood, call 317-916-5150 or visit Versiti online.
