I started my project by touring Bonfils Blood Center (now called Vitalant). Visiting your local blood bank can connect you with the people you need to work with in order to make your blood drive happen, and you can learn all about the behind-the-scenes of blood donations and how the blood gets processed and donated. 

While this event was my project, I was not alone in accomplishing it. I had a whole team helping me, and assembling a team is a key step in making an event like this happen. 

If you are planning on holding the event at your school, like I did, or a community space, make sure you contact the person in charge to confirm the event. I first checked with my principal about holding the event in our school gym, and then planned and set a date for the event with the school's activites director. 

Call, email, text, or meet with someone from your local blood bank. Whether your contact is from your tour, the website or anywhere else, they will more than likely direct you to one or multiple other people that will be able to work closely with you to plan your event. You will most likely communicate with them more than anyone else for the event. Make give them as many details as you can about how you want your event to be, such as the date, time, and location. 

This is optional, but highly encouraged. This is a big event to put on, so any help you can get will make the process a lot easier. I had my school's National Honors Society help volunteer (NHS) at my project, and let them know more than 3 months before the event. 

My event, being a three-part effort, was not just a blood drive. For my prevention aspect of my project, I had a booth for uber sign-ups, as an alternative to driving impaired. For the awareness, I  had Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) educating the youth at my school about the dangers of drunk driving. For the last part of my project, I wanted to give back to those in my community that are impacted by drunk driving accidents, and accidents in general. While a big part of that was through a blood drive, I also had representatives from Donor Alliance, who allowed for people to add 'organ donor' to their drivers' license; and Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank, who brought glasses that simulated what it was like to have a cornea transplant, and emphasized cornea donation. The victim's mother, Pam Lester, also made an organization called the Phoebe Brook Foundation, which also made an appearance at the event, selling shirts and wristbands that benefited the foundation.  

In order for all of these organizations to make an appearance at my event, I contacted representatives from all of the organizations and communicated my event, and what I hoped they could do. If you're planning on involving other businesses in your event, you don't want to inform them too late to where they already have prior commitments, but you also don't want to tell them to early to where they forget; one to two months from your project date is a good time to let them know, with reminders leading up to the event. 

With a month or less leading up to the event, make and publish sign-ups for your event. I had one sign-up for blood drive slots, which I coordinated with the blood center I was working with (Vitalant). I had another separate sign-up for volunteers to bring snacks for donors, watch the uber station, and watch donors to make sure they're okay after giving blood. 

Make sure to include the blood donor qualifications, minor consent form, and anything else that the blood center asks for in the sign-up. These forms ensure that they are able to donate. Be sure to emphasize that "one donation can save up to three lives" and "you're everyone's type!". Encourage everyone that can donate, to donate!

Because people attending my event were giving back to others, I wanted to give back to them, as well. The day of the event, I had one bucket for blood donors with slips of various gift cards. In another bucket, I had slips with gift cards and "thank you for attending", for those that walked around to all of the booths. I felt blood donors should autoomatically get a gift card for donating their blood, but that people that went around to the booth should still have a chance. 

I got these gift cards and vouchers by going around to my local businesses (Mad Greens, Noodles & Company, Chick Fil A, Chipotle, Nothin' Bundt Cakes, etc.), and asking for donations. I wrote a letter explaining my project and my goals, and asked for their help. 

Because I am a part of my school newspaper, I published a story on our website, including the links to both the blood drive sign-up and volunteer sign-up. 

I reached out to my local news station about a month before the event, and after planning the details, I was interviewed on my project. It explained my project, and let people know that they could donate to the blood drive centers around them in support of mine. It was aired on news and is now on their website. 

About a week before my event, I placed flyers around the school, and had a booth during lunches that advertised my event. 

The day has finally come! All your hard work is finally paying off! A day or two before, talk to the custodians or janitors at your location and tell them your desired chairs and table count, and give them a map of your desired set-up. Be sure to ask the blood center you're working with, how many chairs and tables they need, and get the rest for the booths. Make sure to get to your location a couple of hours earlier than when the event starts to set-up and so the vendors and blood center employees know where to go and what to do. Decorate the booths and let your theme shine through!

During the event, ask people coming in whether they are here for the blood drive, booths, or both; direct them to where they want to go. Thank anyone and everyone coming to your event! Thank you notes don't hurt, either! 

Be sure to clean everything up at the end, and give special thank you's to vendors and the blood drive employees.