River of Grass Key Club Blood Drive Boosts South Florida Supply

Students at the River of Grass (ROG) campus donated blood on Oct. 5, 2026, during Key Club's quarterly blood drive. The event, held in partnership with OneBlood, aimed to bolster the South Florida blood supply.

Donors earned service hours and received pizza and merchandise for their contributions. Junior Christian Rupin said, "I decided to donate because there are a lot of people who really need this blood." Students 16 and older could donate whole blood for emergencies or platelets for cancer treatments.

Patricia Denham, a OneBlood supervisor, shared her personal connection to blood donations. "It saves lives. It saved my life when I was born; I needed a transfusion. I’ve also had friends and family who needed one too," Denham said.

Key Club President Lorenzo Carvajal, a senior, noted the importance of student involvement. "I volunteer at hospitals, and I’ve really seen how far the blood could go, so it’s nice to see people my age working towards helping others and still believing that community matters," Carvajal said.

OneBlood worker Patrick Sanchez highlighted the impact of student donors. "High schoolers are the most important donors when it comes to blood drives," Sanchez said. "That’s why we come to these schools because students are the most willing to make a difference."