Pacifica Stories

The Red Cross Club is a service-based school club that organizes blood drives at Pacifica in association with the American Red Cross. It’s an important organization on campus that invites all types of students to join– however it typically attracts students who are motivated to help others, and/or have an interest in medicine or health care. This club meets several times a year to plan the blood drives and figure out who is available to volunteer for their scheduled events.

Pacifica’s Red Cross Club puts on two blood drives per year around Halloween and Valentine’s Day. They also typically have a couple bake sales throughout the year to raise awareness and funds for the Red Cross. Pacifica counselor, Ms. Kurtenbach or Ms. K, is in charge of the logistics for actually getting the blood drive to happen and communicating with the Red Cross to organize the set-up for the drives. Club members are then responsible for raising awareness about the blood drive and encouraging people to sign up. They also help run the drive, by helping with the check-in process, offering support to the Red Cross volunteers, and often donating blood themselves if they’re of age.

This year, Pacifica junior Vyvien Estes is the president of the Red Cross Club. She was supposed to be the leader-in-training, but when the intended president moved in the fall, she had a last minute promotion! She’s been figuring out on her own what needs to be done and how to do them. Vyvien has been able to lead the club well despite having little training, and has served as an excellent example of leadership amidst sudden change. 

“My favorite part of this club is that I get to make a big difference in people’s lives,” said Vyvien. “With relatively little work, we can save a lot of people’s lives. I hope other students in the club and all around Pacifica are able to realize the importance of donating and how much volunteering your time can do for other people’s lives.”

The Red Cross Club’s spring Valentine’s Day blood drive took place this past Wednesday. Students, staff, faculty, and parents registered to give blood in Pacifica’s gym throughout the school day. The gymnasium was transformed to accommodate multiple donation beds, with snacks and drinks provided for all of the donors. We are extremely proud of and thankful to the Red Cross Club for organizing such important and life-changing events for our school community to participate in every semester.