Last week, on a typical Thursday, Loyola students came together for the annual MM Miller Blood Drive. The regular school day turned into a day to serve others in the local community. Throughout the day, students came with a similar purpose: to help those they may never meet and change their lives because of a single and generous act of kindness. Students who signed up for this event saved three lives.
Blood donations are small, but they are necessary in aiding people in serious need. They carry the hope of saving more lives and aim to help vulnerable patients. From emergency surgeries to long-term treatments, donated blood holds the potential to save and heal many individuals. The Cubs came together and showed faith through service, compassion, and care for others. For many students, donating became a powerful and personal experience. It showed that serving requires the courage to give of oneself. Nervous and anxious first-time students and returning donors shared in a moment of selflessness, supported by the encouragement of their peers. One nervous sophomore, Antonio De Cardenas, said even though it was his first time, he felt “a great urge to donate because it helps others.” He’s glad he did it and is thankful that Loyola offers a blood drive where students can participate.
Faculty and staff also explained the significance of this event. By participating with students, faculty and staff set an example for what it means to be a role model. Their involvement helped encourage students and showed that everyone, regardless of age or role, can make a meaningful difference. Standing alongside students, faculty and staff demonstrated the core values of responsibility, compassion, and service, helping create a sense of unification and shared purpose throughout the school.
Donating became a meaningful experience for many Cubs. In giving their blood, students followed Jesus’ example of self-giving love, offering themselves so that others might live. Acts like these reflect Christ’s call to love one another through sacrifice and compassion.
As the day wrapped up, the MM Miller Blood Drive was a sign that students were truly men for and with others. As Jesus says in Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” and students truly lived the word of God.
