125 students and staff members donated one pint of blood and ten minutes of their time to the American Red Cross Sept. 28 for the chance to save a life.

Participants lined up for the opportunity to give approximately one ninth of their blood to someone in need.

The dozens of pints of blood are first examined in an American Red Cross lab in Little Rock, and are then shipped to St. Louis, Mo. for distribution to those in need across the United States.

Counselor Brenda Rodgers, a first time donor, did not let the needle intimidate her.

“It’s just a little prick,” Rodgers said. “It really didn’t hurt at all. You just have to look at something else; that’s what I did.”

Though it was not his first experience donating, senior Javier Zamora was hesitant about giving blood.

“When I got in there, a girl was holding a bucket like she was about to throw up, and this other guy was looking very pale, but I pushed through for the cause,” Zamora said.

Despite the hesitation, Zamora felt his procedure went well.

“Nothing went wrong, and I helped someone,” Zamora said. “If I can just help one person in this world, it’s worth it.”

Junior Austin McNeely had a different experience donating blood.

“The last thing I remember saying was, ‘I’m not feeling too well,’” McNeely said. “Then, I started seeing all of these black dots, and I passed out.”

McNeely blacked out for nearly a minute.

“When I woke up, there was water on me and people all around me, and I was still trying to comprehend what had just happened,” McNeely said.

Though McNeely did not have the ideal procedure, he plans to donate again.

“People need blood if they’re dying or sick, and that’s what the rest of us are here for,” McNeely said. “Whether I passed out for a minute or two doesn’t really matter if you think about it. Feeling a pinch and having a sore arm is worth knowing I could be saving someone who is in a lot more pain than I am.”