Karabar High School have won the 2012 Vampire Shield. Teacher John Sherborne with students ready to make their next donation Kattarna Davy, Vlatko Gjorsoski, Ana Sikoska and Dylan Anderson.
Karabar High School have won the 2012 Vampire Shield. Teacher John Sherborne with students ready to make their next donation Kattarna Davy, Vlatko Gjorsoski, Ana Sikoska and Dylan Anderson.
WITH an extra 21 blood donations, Karabar High School have been victorious in their attempt to relinquish Queanbeyan High School's hold on the Red Cross Vampire Shield.
The small schools category has been dominated by Queanbeyan High School for the 13 consecutive years but they were unable to make it stick for a 14th year.
The Vampire Shield is given to the school with the highest number of blood donations made in a financial year.
Karabar High School teacher John Sherborne said while the friendly rivalry helps, it isn't the main aim of blood donation."Winning the Vampire Shield is just a little bit of a feather in the cap, there was a firendly rivalry and that's an extra incentive," he said.
"Donating blood requires a lot of effort from these guys."Karabar High School finished with 186 donations while Queanbeyan High School ended on 165. Mr Sherborne said it was impressive for both schools to beat the number of donations made by the winner of the large school category. This went to Narrabundah College with 150 donations.
"There's a bit of persuasion and reassurance needed at first ... but we have a lot of keen volunteers," Mr Sherborne said.
"They'll be donors for life I reckon."Mr Sherborne said winning the Vampire Shield would raise awareness about the importance of blood donations in the school community.
"You can't force people to donate but just suggest it and that's what so reassuring and positive. We have some very responsible young citizens who volunteer to donate every 12 weeks," he said.
The donated blood is given to people with cancer, those who have suffered in traumatic accidents, burns or those undergoing surgery.The Red Cross Blood Mobile service comes to Queanbeyan about every 12 weeks.
They will next be Queanbeyan from January 21st - 25th, 2013. More than 600 lives are saved from the donations received during each mobile service's week long visit.