Darlington County School District schools promoting flood relief efforts
Disaster Emergency Supplies
Two schools in the Darlington County School District already announced efforts intended to help victims of massive flooding across the state.
Mayo High School for Math, Science & Technology will sponsor an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The school is pushing for a successful turnout, reminding students, faculty and family that the Red Cross had to cancel more than 30 blood drives in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia as a result of the flooding. The cancelled blood drives resulted in about 650 blood and platelet donations going uncollected, the Red Cross said in a Tuesday email.
“In South Carolina, we are experiencing some challenges transporting blood to hospitals with hundreds of road closures across the state,” the Red Cross said. “At this time, our priority is to deliver emergency products and transport routine requests as we are able.
“We depend on generous volunteer blood donors to provide lifesaving blood for those in need – each and every day – not only during times of disaster. It’s the blood that is already on the shelves that helps during a disaster.”
If parents and other family members would like to donate blood, send an email to Jill Knight at jill.knight@darlington.k12.sc.us with subject line “BLOOD DRIVE.” Students who would like to donate blood must be at least 16 years old with a parental consent form signed. The blood drive will be held in the high school’s cafeteria, located at 405 Chestnut St. in Darlington. The main office can be reached at 843-398-2650.
At Pate Elementary School in Darlington, 5K teacher Lacy Purvis is encouraging parents to help her teach children about the importance of helping others in need. In a letter sent home this week, Purvis said she discussed with her students the flooding and damage caused after record-setting rainfall over the weekend.
“Being a teacher, I strongly feel that it is not only my job to teach our children so that they excel academically, but I also believe that it’s important to teach our children how to be caring, kind and generous citizens that are knowledgeable about the events happening in the world around the,” the letter stated.
Purvis’ students wrote stories about the flooding and, through Friday, the 5K class will collect optional donations of necessities to help flood victims. The items include bottled water, non-perishable food and travel-size toiletries – toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, shampoo, etc. Purvis will deliver the items to a philanthropic organization working with victims of flooding in the state.
Pate Elementary is located at 1010 Indian Branch Road in Darlington. The main office can be reached at 843-398-5070.
