Visitors to Milo Adventist Academy would have raised their eyebrows at the sight of so many students wearing fluorescent bandages on their arms. But if you asked them what happened, they would all have said the same thing: “I’ve given blood today.”

On Sept. 28, the Milo campus once again welcomed the American Red Cross for the annual blood drive. The Student Center was filled with donor chairs and other supplies for the event, which was organized by Brianna Sumerlin, a senior peer counselor from Days Creek, Ore. Sumerlin signed people up and kept everything moving, getting proper identification and giving instructions on what was expected from each donor.

As the students and staff walked in for their appointments to donate blood, you would have noticed that many had injuries of some kind. Black eyes, broken limbs and scratch marks across the face were just some of these injuries. No, there had not been a riot or fight at Milo. The blood drive just happened to fall on Fake Injury Day, part of the Student Association’s Fall Blast week.

Peer counselors made sure participants were comfortable and even gave reassurance. Bradlee Benton, a senior from Springfield, Ore., was one of those to assist and reassure first-timer, Tracey Buchanan, a freshman from Canyonville.

After the participants were finished donating, volunteers handed out cookies and juice and encouraged them to sit awhile to make sure they were not too dizzy to go to work or school.

In all, 29 participants came to the blood drive, with 14 of these being first-time donors. The American Red Cross collected 21 units of blood. A letter sent to Jeff Deming, Milo pastor, says, “the efforts of Milo Academy have always been greatly appreciated, and their support of the community blood program will go a long way toward replenishing blood supplies and ultimately saving lives.”