TikTok has been the number one app in the AppStore for many years, but coming Jan. 19, that may change.
A TikTok ban is poised to take effect in the United States later this month. There is speculation that the app will remain on phones but eventually become unusable. Most teenagers around America are outraged.
A screenshot of the top entertainment apps in the app store.
“I think the ban is pretty stupid,” junior Alex Swatchick said. “People are worried that China is getting our data, but from what I have seen, I doubt that China is getting anything important.”
There are multiple reasons why TikTok is being banned; the main reason is that it could be a security risk. With TikTok shop taking off this past year, many are worried about personal information being leaked or stolen.
“As someone who doesn’t frequently watch the news, it seems to be my only way to keep up with current events that are happening in the world,” senior Sabrina Kasic said.
While many teens do get their information from the app, some of it can be questionable and it is often hard to separate right from wrong.
Some adults are happy about the change, as social media can be harmful to young people.
“The TikTok ban is positive because it will give students one less distraction,” Child Development teacher Dr. Tiffany Smietana-Lysell said. “I know that TikTok is used a lot during their free time, actually all the time.”
While TikTok does have many negative qualities, it also has some positive ones.
“The TikTok banning will impact our generation greatly because it has become a space that most of the world has and [we] can see people of all different backgrounds,” Kasic said. “When people don’t have this, they might not feel as connected.”
TikTok has also given a lot of small businesses a chance to branch out to the world and make them more successful.
“So many people use TikTok for not only entertainment, but also marketing and sales,” Swatchick said. “Many people would lose out on sales or even lose their business in total.”
The ban might have some negative effects on people economically, but it could have some positive effects on the way students handle their free time better by decreasing the time they spend swiping.
“I do not see it having a major impact on this generation or future generations,” Dr. Smietana-Lysell said. “There will always be new apps developed and new trends to follow, so the absence of TikTok will eventually just be a minor event in the past.”
Although the new year often brings hope and good fortune, 2025 began with tragedy for many in two major U.S. cities.
In the early morning hours of Jan. 1, a crowd of celebrating citizens in New Orleans, Louisiana were faced with the headlights of an oncoming truck and eventually the barrel of a gun. Only a few hours later, bystanders at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada witnessed an explosion from within a Tesla Cybertruck.
The street signs on the corner of Bourbon Street where the attack took place.
Photo courtesy: Adobe Stock Photos
Only three hours after midnight, there were 14 victims killed and at least 33 others were injured when Shamsud-din Jabbar drove a pickup truck loaded with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) into a crowd on the sidewalk of Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.
The incident has been determined as a premeditated domestic terrorist attack. Jabbar was a 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran from Texas who showed no concerning behaviors to family or friends before the attack. He did, however, visit and surveil the area at least two times using Meta smart glasses to record in the months leading up to the attack. In videos posted online, he pledged his support to the foreign terrorist organization ISIS, and a corresponding flag was recovered from the vehicle.
In addition to the IEDs in the truck, Jabbar planted two coolers containing IEDs on nearby streets that did not detonate. After stopping the truck, he stepped out of the vehicle wielding a gun and was eventually killed in a shootout with police officers. Two officers were injured.
It was later discovered that he set fire to a rented Airbnb in a suspected attempt to destroy evidence.
He rented the Ford F-150 Lightning from a car rental platform called Turo, a service that allows owners to rent directly to customers, similarly to Airbnb.
The Tesla Cybertruck used in the Las Vegas explosion was also rented through Turo, but investigations found no connection. Turo claimed they background check all users and neither individual raised any red flags.
A Tesla Cybertruck similar to the one used in the explosion.
Photo courtesy: Adobe Stock Photos
“The use of a vehicle [for violence] has become commonplace and it’s honestly terrifying,” Law and Economics teacher Mr. Mark Zahorchak said.
37-year-old U.S. Army Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger ended his own life by gunshot just before the detonation of explosives inside the rented Cybertruck. At least seven injuries were sustained by bystanders, but no one was severely injured. There was also effectively no damage to the building as the steel body of the vehicle contained the majority of the explosion.
Letters and audio recordings of Livelsberger prior to the attack state the intent was to provide a “wake up call” to the public. He expressed support of president-elect Donald Trump, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and others involved with the Trump campaign. He held disdain for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, income equality, and the rising issue of homelessness. Investigations revealed his use of ChatGPT to research and plan the attack, which had not previously been seen in major criminal investigations.
Coming right at the start of the new year and just before Trump’s inauguration, the increase in national—and even international—conflict has created a social and political landscape brimming with negativity.
Mr. Zahorchak stated that there is “simply no place” for politically motivated violence, and that it was “obviously un-American.”
In recent years, there has been an uptick in political violence on a larger scale, from school shootings to assassination attempts, and even wars. Predictably, this has caused an increase in worry around the globe.
“Yes, it concerns me,” social studies teacher Mrs. Beth Simone said. “I do sometimes question: are things worse now or am I just more aware?”
Tragically, the future likely holds an increase in these events.
“The idea of someone harming someone for political reasons is something I can unfortunately see increasing because we live in a volatile time,” Zahorchak shared.
Both Mrs. Simone and Zahorchak shared that it changes how they approach situations with their families, around crowds and at big events.
Although these events were important news, many students were unaware they even happened or missed most details.
“I just knew that there was a car involved, and it ran into a crowd, and there was a football game cancelled because of it,” sophomore Aiden Jackson said.
The cancellation of the Sugar Bowl 2025 game in New Orleans was the most common knowledge shared by students and staff.
Several, including Jackson, cited family and friends as their initial source for the information.
Others, like Zahorchak, first saw it on social media before researching on news sites.
Recently, more and more people find news on social media sites just as it happens. Although this can be beneficial for some, it can also over-stress and drown out other relevant events.
“It’s a sort of diffusion of information,” Simone explained. “There’s so much going on and being shared everywhere that we don’t know what’s important. Big picture, I don’t think it’s truly possible for anyone to stay informed at this point.”
While both Jabbar and Livelsberger were politically motivated, it has been determined that they were working alone, and their messages have not seemed to influence others yet.
“As far as using these events to send a message—that is ineffective,” Simone said. “Because there is so much happening, it won’t have much of an effect. We cannot control the narrative—it happens so often that people won’t know your name.”
Many Americans are desensitized to tragedies that happen outside of their community, and this can cause a disconnect in the population.
“We can still believe in each other, but it does concern me that it takes an event hitting home to realize that,” Simone said. “We tend to trust our neighbors, and we tend to be willing to help each other.”
From Pink Pilates Princess users to Boujee Football Rap users, students listened to hours and hours of music to get through 2024.
To end every year streaming services put out a “wrapped” which is made up of the users’ top artists, top songs and the number of minutes listened.
Students were eager to share their stats and talk about their favorite artists of the year.
“My top artists were Ariana Grande, SZA and Billie Eilish,” senior Greg Paravate said.
Artists varied from student to student, even teachers shared their music taste from the year.
“My top artist was Khruangbin, they make very chill music,” Math teacher Mr. Al Toret said.
Mr. Toret’s top five songs on Apple Music.
Photo courtesy: Mr. Al Toret
Spotify and Apple also released data from every user overall. This includes top artists from the year which would make Taylor Swift 2024’s Global Top Artist.
Following the top artists, users were able to see their total minutes spent listening to music in 2024.
“Overall, I had about 30,000 minutes listened,” Paravate said.
Other users only listened occasionally or used the music as background noise.
“I had 15,218 minutes because I only really listen when I’m driving,” junior Andrew Lehnhardt said.
Lehnhardt’s top Spotify artists and songs.
Photo courtesy: Andrew Lehnhardt
While these streaming services do provide several different pieces of information and stats for their users, many spoke of the things they wish they could see more of or what they would change if it was up to them.
“I’d want to see what song or songs I skipped the most throughout the year,” Lehnhardt said. “That way I’d know what songs I should probably take off my playlist.”
Students also wanted to see the minutes they listened to divided up into each playlist and how long they spent with each.
“I would really like to see stats on how long or often I listened to each of my playlists,” Paravate said.
While both streaming services release the users’ “stats,” many believe that the wrapped isn’t completely accurate.
“Most of my top artists didn’t shock me,” Mr. Toret said. “However, my fourth artist felt wrong. I don’t think I listened to her nearly that much.”
Many users claimed to have a few artists or songs in their wrapped that felt a little off, but for the most part felt like what they saw made sense.
“Some of them were shocking, but for the most part I guess it made sense,” Toret said.
The start of the second semester brings a lot of change to the halls of GS.
One of the most prominent changes is the students’ classes. With semester one classes ending, students will get a fresh start in their semester two classes.
“I like the change,” senior Oakley Decker said. “I always liked the different classes from the first half to the second.”
It’s common for students to grow tired of their classes after being in the same environment for so long. The second semester gives students a chance to trade out classes they may not find enjoyment in anymore for new ones.
Blanca Grillo and Rocco Himes pose with their second semester schedules.
Photo By: Quinn Isenberg
“I’m happy because I didn’t really like my classes,” senior Samantha Hanawalt said. “So, I want to go into the second semester.”
Despite the fresh start, students may find themselves losing their motivation for school throughout the second semester. Instead of letting this get the best of them, wise students find ways to keep themselves engaged.
“To keep myself motivated I do stuff after school, like Speech and Debate and band,” freshman Luke Johnson said.
Others find themselves motivated by the opportunity to do well in their new classes.
“I’m more motivated for the second semester because I feel like it’s a second chance at getting the grades I want to get and didn’t during the first semester,” sophomore Daliza Sanchez said.
New classes also give students the opportunity to do better than they did in the first semester. Students can walk into these classes with a clean slate and apply the knowledge they took from the last semester into the new one.
“I learned new ways to study that work better for my particular learning style,” Sanchez said.
The second semester also proves to be beneficial to teachers. It gives them a chance to try new methods with different groups of students to see what works best.
“The really nice thing is that I can reflect upon experiences that I had in the fall because how the students reacted to different tactics is still fresh in my mind,” math teacher Mr. Al Toret said. “I can modify them if they didn’t work or reuse them if they did.”
To some the second semester simply means they’re one semester closer to the end of the year. However, it is important to take things slow and make the most of the new semester by taking advantage of every opportunity that comes their way.
“Savor your time here rather than wish it away,” Mr. Toret said.
As the new year rolls in, resolutions and goals are being made for success.
Reflecting on the past can show what worked, what didn’t and why. Understanding things that caused challenges and led to success can help set a more realistic goal.
“I don’t have many new year’s resolutions this year, but I do want to work on my procrastination,” senior Kylie Kolenc said.
Sometimes breaking goals down into smaller steps can keep people on track. Procrastination can be a leading factor in not completing goals. So, making checkpoints smaller can make it easier to see progress and stay motivated.
“My new year’s resolution is to stay active and try to work out more to make me stronger for dance,” sophomore Izabella Caruso said.
Izabella Caruso is captured mid-leap during a dance competition.
Photo courtesy: Izabella Caruso
Acknowledging that there might be situations that lead to setbacks is important so there can be a backup plan. Setbacks can be part of the process, so staying resilient and bouncing back is ideal.
For some people, writing down resolutions and goals so they can be visualized can be beneficial. They can be placed somewhere that is seen every day like a fridge or a desk.
“I plan to achieve them by maybe having a planner or something along the lines of that to help with deadlines,” Kolenc said.
For some, staying flexible can keep them more focused on the end goal. Regularly reviewing and adjusting goals can make it more realistic to achieve.
“I would like to connect more with my family and friends in 2025,” Science Teacher Mrs. Julie Firmstone said. “My motivation is that we never know when we won’t have that chance.”
Even celebrating the small things can keep motivation up. But other than individual things people do to keep themselves motivated, having a support system can go a long way.
“My motivation is my mom because she is my number one supporter and my team,” Caruso said. “I also think my dance teacher will help push me to be my best because all she has ever wanted was for her students to dance to their best ability.”
The people that surround a person can be the thing they need for success. Sometimes the smallest support can make a difference.
While continuing into 2025, staying motivated and on track is important for most and helps to create a more successful year.
“A retired teacher told me that it takes 21 days to form a habit, so I try to remind myself to keep up with something, so I am able to create the habit,” Mrs. Firmstone said.
Various business locations have been rapidly cleaning out in Greensburg.
Route 30’s Dick’s Sporting Goods, the South Greensburg Wendy’s restaurant and Greengate Center’s Big Lots have all been affected in recent months by poorly performing locations or filing for bankruptcy.
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Following the closing of its Route 30 location, the Westmoreland Mall is welcoming a Dick’s House of Sport into an anchor space in the mall that was previously occupied by Sears. Computer Science teacher Mr. Tyler Brinton believes the new store will be “great for the community.”
“It’ll be a really great place for kids to get sports gear, especially being in the mall,” Mr. Brinton said.
The House of Sport offers a more interactive experience for customers than a normal Dick’s Sporting Goods location; they are often larger than a Sporting Goods, with most locations, such as at Ross Park Mall, featuring golf simulators, spaces to practice sports and a 30-feet-tall rock wall. The store will also offer the expected athletic apparel and equipment.
The outside of the Greensburg Dick’s location after being shut down.
Photo By: Kerrick Shaw
Wendy’s and TGI Fridays
The Wendy’s restaurant located on South Main Street was one of over 100 U.S. restaurants closed in 2024 from failing to keep up with other spots. These closing sites will be balanced out by the opening of around 250 new restaurants across America.
The outside of the South Greensburg Wendy’s.
Photo By: Kerrick Shaw
“I was told we closed because our lease was up and we didn’t make enough to pay it,” Wendy’s employee, junior Nova Miller, said. “We’re all set at a new store now. They moved all of the employees at the South Greensburg one to the Wendy’s by the mall; we’ve basically combined stores.”
The restaurant chain TGI Fridays filed for bankruptcy in November, leaving the location in the Hempfield Square shopping plaza, surrounded by Texas Roadhouse and PetSmart, available for lease. TGI Fridays Inc. operates less than 40 locations in the U.S.
Big Lots
Big Lots, located in the Greengate Shopping Center, recently had their windows covered with everything-must-go signs. The discount furniture and home décor chain filed for bankruptcy in September of last year, however, its debts were just picked up by Gordon Brothers, a global assets company.
According to the Gordon Brothers press release, their purchasing of Big Lots Inc. will preserve the brand, keeping “hundreds of stores in operation and preventing thousands of layoffs.”
Variety Wholesalers, a company included in the transfer of Big Lots’ assets, will operate about 200 stores under the Big Lots brand. Gordon Brothers will provide real estate services to support the future of Big Lots and have just put new-to-market store leases up for sale across 47 states, not including PA meaning the Greengate Center space will remain closed.
GS Libarian Mrs. Carrie Vottero believes the closing of these businesses is due to the ever-growing use of electronics.
“I remember shopping a different way than how young people, and myself, shop today,” Mrs. Vottero said. “It’s bound to change; the world is changing. More things are continuously going electronic, like Amazon and DoorDash. That’s just how people shop now.”
Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, anonymous names have been used to protect the privacy of the sources.
By: Rubee Stillwagon
Underage online gambling and betting is rising among teenagers.
According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, 80% of high school students have reported that they have gambled for money in the past year; 4-6% are considered problem gamblers.
Connecticut’s Council on Problem Gambling reports that 10% of teens gamble twice a week or more, and about 4% of boys aged 14-21 have a gambling problem.
There are many different betting sites available. Some of them include FanDuel, DraftKings, Golden Nugget and many more.
The above shows that nothing more than the
honor system checks for a person’s age
when using this app to bet.
Screenshot from the app store.
“Everything usually comes from Vegas,” Jane Doe, a teacher, said. “They come up with values essentially, that they have assigned to the teams. They take information from previous games, previous years and other websites, but it’s still a giant unknown.”
The main issue with a lot of the sites is how accessible they are for underage use. According to a study done by the University of Michigan, 33% of parents think online gambling and betting sites need to check IDs-and carefully-to ensure users are of legal age.
Results from a study by Kathryn LaTour, a professor in the Integrated Marketing Communications Department at Northwestern Medill, and colleague June Cotte, a Professor of Marketing at the Ivey Business School, show online gamblers bet more frequently and aggressively.
LaTour and Cotte also recommend that online gambling casinos minimize their use of flashing bold graphics to signal wins to lessen emotional excitement.
Studies done by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas have shown that online gambling is more dangerous. Because it can be done anywhere, it can lead to mindless consumption which can result in addiction and financial loss.
Financial consequences include overdue bills, maxed-out credit cards, inability to provide basic needs and a necessity to sell possessions for cash. Problem gamblers have also been known to be more likely to pull money from home equity, savings, investment or retirement accounts.
“It’s the thrill of winning for most people,” Doe said. “Think of it like sports. You play sports because you enjoy it, but you also enjoy the rush of it. There’s an adrenaline factor. That’s why they have different ways to get help because people get addicted.”
The Mayo Clinic says that a major part of treating gambling addictions is to acknowledge there’s an issue.
Treatments may include therapy, medications such as antidepressants and mood stabilizers and self-help groups.
Another game that has become very popular among teenagers is Fantasy Football.
“Fantasy football is when you draft teams of NFL players and those players get points by scoring touchdowns, passing yards, rushing yards and receiving yards,” John Smith, a student, said. “You join a league, and you play against another person in the league every week.”
ESPN Fantasy Football is the number one fantasy football game with more than 13 million players. It is possible to bet money on these games, but most teens have their own way of having fun without betting money.
“It’s fun to compete against your friends,” Smith said. “Typically, some leagues have some type of consequences if you finish last. It gets very competitive because most people don’t want to do the consequences of losing, which for my league is 24 hours in Denny’s.”
There are also fantasy leagues for other sports as well, including basketball, tennis, hockey, baseball, NASCAR and more.
Although this can be a fun activity for people to do with friends, the Center for Parent/ Youth Understanding (CPYU) says that fantasy sports can get ugly. They encourage young people to stay in leagues with people they know. Because there are ways to communicate through the game, it can be safer to know who they are talking to.
CPYU also said that although fantasy is a great way to stay in touch with the pastime of pro sports, it can lead to unhealthy habits. People may become distracted from everyday activities so they can research and watch their stats and how their games are going.
“I think the biggest problem is addiction,” Jane Doe said. “It’s quick to lose a lot of money. You fall into the trap where people say I didn’t win last week but I’ll win this week. It’s like a vicious cycle. Now there are people who can handle it, but there are people who can’t, and you see people lose everything because of it.”
Students are stuck juggling their responsibilities while stocking shelves or handing out orders with homework due the next morning.
Some teenagers begin their search for work once in high school, but with both school and a job, students might struggle to manage their time efficiently.
“It is definitely hard to manage my time because my plate is full with school, work and softball,” junior Maggie Alcorn said. “It gets challenging, but I try my best to work around my work schedule.”
Sports and other extracurricular activities can make it especially hard to handle the workload. Senior Katie Shea, Fundraising Director for Mini-THON, said that most employers are “more lenient towards students.”
“If something comes up for Mini-THON or volleyball, I make sure to let my manager know right away,” Shea said. “They usually understand with high school students that school comes first; if your job gets in the way, you need to put it on the back burner.”
Principal Mr. Adam Jones believes that having a job isn’t as important as some students make it out to be, saying that students who participate in school activities like clubs, musicals or athletics should focus on those. However, Mr. Jones also understands that jobs teach teenagers life skills that they cannot learn in school.
Comic by: Kerrick Shaw
“I think going to school is your primary job,” Jones said. “If the time you’re committing to your job is impacting your studies or if your grades are going down then you need to set your priorities. I hear so many kids say that they have to work, but school should be number one on their list.”
Regardless of her busy schedule that can sometimes be a struggle, Alcorn thinks it is very important for high schoolers to have a job, saying it gives teenagers an “early work ethic.”
“I started working the summer before my freshman year; I was fourteen,” she said. “I would recommend getting a job early and working hard. I think working will only get harder as you leave high school.”
Shea agrees it’s ideal to start working as soon as possible. She explained that it teaches responsibility and is a different way for teenagers to meet new people.
“I started working at the end of my junior year,” she said. “I’m a food runner which can sometimes be difficult because we have three floors, so having to run food up three floors as quickly as possible can be really tiring. I also have to close on school nights at times which means I don’t get home until 11:30 some nights.”
Balancing work on top of school requires adjustments for teenagers and its important to ensure that responsibilities, like good grades, will be maintained.
“Each individual is different,” Jones said. “Some students can juggle high level courses and a 30-hour work week; some can’t, and that’s okay. Everything really depends on what the kids are comfortable with and what they need to do. It’s important to remember what comes first.”
Fans walk out of the stadium leaving glitter on the floor and friendship bracelets behind after superstar Taylor Swift closes her tour.
After over a year of touring, Swift has officially wrapped up her longest tour ever, The Eras Tour. The tour opened on March 17, 2023, and ended on Dec. 8, 2024.
Over the course of The Eras Tour Swift played a total of 149 shows, which brought in around $2 billion, making The Eras Tour the highest grossing tour of all time. The tour consisted of 51 different cities that spanned over 21 different countries.
Taylor Swift shows off her new bodysuit in Miami N1.
Photo By: Adison Poole
GS students have attended shows all over the U.S. Senior Cecilia Ecklund attended Cincinnati N2 and shared her experience of the show.
“I enjoyed every moment of the show, but if I had to pick just one part it would be the surprise song segment,” Ecklund said. “Taylor brought out two special guests, Aaron Dessner and Gracie Abrams. Additionally, it was the first time she played three surprise songs.”
Every night Swift opened the show with songs from her seventh album Lover. She then went through the rest of her eras as the show went on, usually playing five songs from each of her 11 albums, for a total of 44-46 songs a night.
The surprise song segment was different every night of the show, making it a unique experience for those in attendance. Swift opened with a song or mashup on guitar followed by a song or mashup on piano.
“On other nights, I would occasionally watch the livestreams on TikTok and YouTube,” Ecklund said.
When people couldn’t attend shows, many tuned into different livestreams on social media platforms. Over the course of The Eras Tour many creators on sites such as Tik Tok gained followers by livestreaming the entire concert for everyone to enjoy from the comfort of their own home.
Viewers at home not only followed along just for the show, but some also even took part in a game known as Mastermind. The game was presented by a mobile app named Swift Alert. In the game players selected each of Swift’s outfits for the night and answered open ended questions such as what surprise song she might play or if she’d bring out a special guest.
“I was late to the game, but I started playing Mastermind during the second leg of the U.S. tour,” Ecklund said.
Senior Lauryn Swierczynski attended Pittsburgh N2 and spoke highly about the experience.
“My favorite part had to be the electric atmosphere in the stadium,” Swierczynski said. “When the Reputation era [started], the stadium legitimately shook beneath your feet.”
The shows brought people together all over the world. All over social media influencers posted different videos and pictures that showed them traveling and following the tour. Much like some of those people, sophomore Reese Pittler traveled to attend Nashville N2.
“When I went to the show it was the night after she announced Speak Now Taylor’s Version,” Pittler said. “Everything around the stadium was purple and very magical.”
Over the course of the tour Swift was also able to release both Speak Now and 1989 under her own name. She also announced and released her newest album The Tortured Poets Department.
Swift made an effort to create this atmosphere on each night of the tour. In her recently published book on The Eras Tour, Swift spoke about her experiences and said this tour was her most “ambitious” project yet.
Swift was able to bring people together in and out of the stadium over the course of her tour. Each night fans gathered outside the event and hung out while Swift performed.
By the end of the tour Swift was able to play to a grand total of 10,168,008 Swifties inside the stadiums. This number does not account for the fans outside, but on certain nights such as Munich N1 there were an estimated 50,000 fans outside as well.
“It was such a once in a lifetime experience,” Swierczynski said. “I’m so glad I had the opportunity to be a part of it.”
46 total units were collected from 44 donors. There were 41 procedures which made the event one of the best conversion rates compared to all other high schools around.
“I thought SADD club did really well,” Secretary of SADD Lola Slavnik said. “I am excited for the Spring semester blood drive.”
Students and teachers filled in every single appointment, leaving 20 extra people on the waiting list. Most of these donors were left with the same question, where was their blood going and what was it going to do?
“It was a great experience, they were all so sweet for my first time donating, but I would like to know how they store and test it,” junior Marley Perrone said.
Perrone poses for a photo as she gets her blood taken.
Photo By: Emma Helmick
After the blood is donated to the Red Cross, it is sent to a processing lab in Johnstown where it is tested and tagged.
“When we say that your one donation can save up to three lives it is because there may be three products derived from your blood, such as red cells to treat trauma, plasma to help a premature baby and platelets to help a patient battling cancer,” Red Cross Strategic Business Planning Manager Cletus McConville said.
The Red Cross also takes the blood cells and separates them from red cells, platelets and plasma.
They take two units of blood from each person; it takes 51 ml to fill a bag.
“You never know when you or someone close to you will need blood,” McConville said. “Giving today ensures that lifesaving blood is available to patients in need. So, it is likely that if you or a loved one ever have a need, you would desire that others have the same generous spirit as you.”
The Lions' Den 