The Goochland High School American Red Cross Club held their second annual blood drive last week, collecting 45 units of blood, according to Red Cross representative Kimberly F. Thomas.

About 65 people showed up to donate.

“The students signed up 60 donors,” said Thomas, who added that the GHS club is chartered by the American Red Cross.

As always, Thomas said that types O positive and negative were always in demand.

She added that holiday periods always increase demand for blood so that there was still a need to rebuild blood supplies after the recent Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

“Each donation can save up to three lives,” said Thomas, or up to six lives in the case of infants.

Thomas said that a healthy donor can give blood every 56 days. As a side benefit, donors get a mini-physical every time they donate. Red Cross personnel check their blood pressure and iron levels among other things.

Bill James, proprietor of Subway, donated food for nourishment for donors; and Valerie Pace, who volunteered and headed up Relay for Life for many years, donated her time in baking goods and providing drinks like juice and V-8 for this event, said club sponsor Elizabeth Nelson-Lyda.

Last Wednesday’s drive, held at the Company 5 Firehouse, saw a nmber of familiar faces in the crowd of waiting donors.

About 5 p.m. Wednesday found Sheriff Jim Agnew patiently awaiting his turn to donate. School board member Mike Payne and supervisor Manuel Alavrez also showed up to donate. School board chairwoman Beth Hardy reportedly also donated earlier in the day.