9/11 10th-anniversary blood drives draws about 100 people

The Muslim Law Student Association hosted a blood drive Sunday in memorial of 10th anniversary of 9/11 at the T.C. Williams School of Law.

The blood drive was part of a larger campaign called Muslims for Life. Qasim Rashid, a law student and member of the Muslim Law Student Association, organized the drive. Muslims for Life "is part of a nationwide campaign, and we're trying to raise up to 10,000 bags of blood to save up to 30,000 lives," he said. "This is one of about 235 blood drives around the country."

Rashid said it made sense to bring the drive to campus and get people involved. The student association partnered with Virginia Blood Services and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The drive lasted was scheduled to last for six hours, starting at 9 a.m. Sunday until 3 p.m.

Rashid said 90 people had donated blood around 2 p.m., and he expected over 100 by the time it ended. Registration was open to law students, undergraduates and the public.

Jeremy Hillner, a sophomore, wasn't able to donate blood despite registering beforehand. "They told me I couldn't because I had did it earlier in August," Hillner said.

He said he donates often because of his rare o-negative blood type, which allows him to act as a universal donor. Instead, Hillner was given a t-shirt for his initiative to come out that morning. "I think it's okay if you do it more than once in a month," he said, "But I guess they do that just as a precaution."

Josiah DelToro is a junior who donated blood around noon on Sunday. "It was the best time that I've donated," he said, describing cookies and chips that were given as refreshments to donors.

DelToro waited longer than other donors because he gave more than the normal quantity. He said he donates blood frequently. "This time was special because of the 10-year anniversary of 9/11," he said.

"I actually remember a lot of organizations asking for people to donate blood during 9/11," DelToro said. "But of course I was only nine years old and I couldn't do anything and that kind of made me sad.

"It was really really good being able to do that today, and being able to give a little extra."

Contact staff writer Keon Monroe at keon.monroe@richmond.edu