By Daisy Moriarty ’25
On Thursday, March 31, the Frederick Gunn baking club got together to bake treats for blood donors at the Margaret P. Atticks Blood Drive. The Blood Drive, which took place on Sunday, April 2nd, is held annually by Miss Hart and the Hearts for Action Club in order to collect blood for the American Red Cross.
The baking club, led by Erin Whitney, Mairin Hoffman, and Mrs. Theobald, baked many different treats, including blueberry and chocolate chip muffins. Miss Hart explains the importance of this for the Blood Drive saying, “After donation it’s important for donors to eat and drink in order to rehydrate and return their blood sugar levels to pre-donation levels”.
To sign up for this baking club meeting, Erin Whitney sent out a google doc sign up sheet, and all eight spots quickly filled up. The eight bakers and the club leaders met outside the dining hall kitchen at 7:00 pm, between dinner and study hall. After everyone arrived, the group entered the dining hall kitchen and started baking!
At the blood drive, donors enjoyed the baked goods made by the baking club and other Frederick Gunn students and teachers. There were also many packaged snacks available, which were beneficial for those with dietary restrictions.
Many people in the baking club also participated in the blood drive in other ways; some members donated blood, and others were volunteers. One example is Anna Damosy, who helped with baking, donated blood, and volunteered to help other donors. She shares, “I donated blood early in the morning. It was my first time and while I was a little nervous, it was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. I even found out my blood type! I also volunteered later in the afternoon, by helping out in the canteen, handing out t-shirts to our donors and making sure they felt alright after their donation.”
Student volunteers and donors were vital for the success of the 2023 Margaret P. Atticks blood drive, which was the Frederick Gunn School’s most successful blood drive so far. The drive collected 45 donations, which greatly surpassed the collection goal of 31.
