Commack Senior Organizes Scholarship Blood Drive

Briana Simicic, a senior at Commack High School, ran the Commack Public Library blood drive on Wednesday, a move that could help her win a college scholarship.

Simicic donated blood last year and then heard from New York Blood Services, which peaked her interest.

An aspiring doctor, Simicic decided to combine her interest in medicine with the necessary community service she has to complete for school, in combination with her International Bacculaureate class, CAS. The class – entitled Creativity, Action, and Service – requires students to log 180 community service hours over the course of two years. 

In addition to completing community service, Simicic will receive a $250 college scholarship for her endeavor. 

A few months ago, Simicic called the Long Island branch of the New York Blood Services, and was put in contact with Susan DiMartino, who provided her with information, supplies, and nurses needed to hold a scholarship blood drive.  It was left to Simicic to organize the time and place of the drive, and to bring in donors.

Thirty-six people donated blood towards Simicic and the New York Blood Services' cause.

To be a blood donor, one must be at least 16 years old, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, and be in good health as constituted by the physical and health history reviews before donating.

According to the New York Blood Center, just one pint of donated blood can save three lives, meaning that Simicic's drive helped save over one hundred lives.

"My sister is a nurse, and I hear about blood shortages all of the time," said Caroline Budinich, Simicic's cousin. Though she is a vegetarian and has low blood pressure (both of which impact her health and ability to donate), she is determined, and came to her cousin's blood drive on her sixth attempt to donate blood.

Caitlin Russell is a young veteran of donating blood, as the 20-year-old donated blood for the seventh time at Simicic's drive.

"I like to help save lives," said Russell.  "Donating blood is calm, and I am comfortable with it.  I usually feel fine afterward."

On hearing about how Simicic organized the drive, Russell said, "It's really good that she's working on something that will help her in the future."

She said she will try to organize another blood drive next year.