The blood drive has been a tradition in Troop 71, held every year in December.  Originally an Eagle Scout project, it is in honor of one of our past Scoutmasters, Mr.Jeff Sinclair.

    Before the blood drive, we all pitched in to help. Evan W. was in charge of getting us all together for our activities before and during the blood drive. Some scouts put up posters on businesses and in the neighborhoods. All the patrols got together to make phone calls to previous and potential donors.

    The scouts all helped during the blood drive in different ways.  Some scouts brought in snacks and drinks for the donors. McDonalds and Cousins donated snacks and drinks for scouts and donors alike.  We were all disappointed when we found out no one brought the blood drop costume. In previous years, scouts would wear a blood drop costume and hold a sign to attract walk-in donors.  This year we only used a sign but got 10 walk-in donors. Other scouts would watch the donors' children in the nursery and have them watch movies and play games. Some would get water or cookies for the donors who needed it. A couple of older scouts would sit at the front and check in the donors, and everyone who had the last shift  helped clean up afterwards. 

    This year, as you may have heard, the blood drive is especially important because of hurricane Sandy. The Red Cross had a goal of 55 pints of blood donated. With the 62 pints that were donated, we can save up to 186 lives.