The Black Student Association held its annual blood drive Tuesday in the Blue Ridge Ballroom with nearly 100 people donating blood.

This was the second largest blood drive on campus, said Lauren Hamilton, president of the Black Student Association.

The organization has been hosting the event for about 10 years and has seen a good turnout every year, Hamilton said.

Hamilton was in charge of planning and organizing the event. Hamilton said that she expected a slightly bigger turnout of around 120 people, but was still satisfied with a turnout of about 80, considering the recent wintery weather.

Freshman Dustin Parlier participated with the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.

“It has been pretty busy, it has been about equal between people giving blood and people volunteering,” Parlier, a computer information systems major, said. “There have been a lot of volunteers, and it’s nice to see people willing to help.”

Overall, over 170 people volunteered their time for the event.

“It kind of brings a sense of community to people,” said Parlier. “People are coming together to help towards a great cause, and they won’t give blood otherwise if there aren’t blood drives and we all have to be a part of that to help. It is good to see other people that you don’t know coming together to help.”

Freshman Patric Brunner encourages people to volunteer or give blood if they can.

“Do it with friends,” Brunner, a mathematics major, said. “The more support you have around you, the easier it is, and more enjoyable it will be. I came back this time because I was able to calculate from the last time I donated and I was eligible to donate again, and I just enjoy doing it so very much.”

Story: JORDAN MILLER, Intern News Reporter