By William Croyle
Enquirer contributor

Ashlee Lonnemann, 18, one of the St. Henry District High School seniors who organized a blood drive at her school, takes her turn at giving. Rebecca Cooker from the Hoxworth Blood Center prepares to needle her. The Cincinnati Enquirer/TONY JONES

ERLANGER - Hoxworth Blood Center is on pace for a record year in blood donations - but hospitals are using up the supply almost as quickly as it comes in.

That's why school blood drives, like the one Tuesday at St. Henry District High School, are so important to Hoxworth.

The center considers March and April to be its high school blood drive season.

"We go to over 100 high schools each year, with almost 10 percent of our annual collection coming from them," said Michael Anderson, director of public relations for Hoxworth. "It's a good lesson for the kids and a great way for them to give to the community without taking out their checkbook."

Hoxworth, the only blood center for the Greater Cincinnati area, is on target to collect more than 90,000 pints of blood for its fiscal year ending in June. During its previous fiscal year, the center took in 83,000 units, compared with 86,000 units the year before.

Hospitals, meanwhile, also are using more blood than ever before, Anderson said. He attributed the increase to a number of factors, including an overall increase in patient care.

University Hospital, for instance, has seen a dramatic increase during the past couple of years in the number of liver transplants, which can require 10 to 20 units of blood for each patient, Anderson said

This was the third year for the drive at St. Henry, which was sponsored by the school's National Honor Society. Senior Ashlee Lonnemann, 18, organized it as her Honor Society semester service project.

Last week, Lonnemann handed out Hoxworth cards to students who wanted to donate.

She planned on handing out the cards during the three lunch periods, but all the cards were gone after the first lunch period.

"We got a lot more students than we planned," said Lonnemann.

"Those who were nervous were mainly afraid of the needles, but I just told them it's a little prick, not really a big deal, and they can look the other way."

Teacher and honor society monitor Sharon Meyerrose said out of the roughly 500 students in the school, only about 200 met the eligibility requirements of being at least 17 years old and 110 pounds. A total of 46 St. Henry students, or about 25 percent of those eligible, donated. Many of those were first-time donors.

"The first time can be hard to get them in," said Meyerrose. "But this is probably the largest one we've had. I thought the response was fantastic."

For students, donating consisted of a medical history interview, a quick physical exam, the drawing of the blood and refreshments.

The process took about 45 minutes for each donor.

Senior Rachel Lageman, 18, donated for the first time. She said she was a little nervous because it was a new experience, but now she plans to give blood regularly.

"I think it's really important," said Lageman. "So many people need blood and it's a way for me to give something that I have an abundance of."

Hoxworth delivers 325 pints of blood every day to 25 hospitals in 15 counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

The center had a five- to seven-day supply of blood Tuesday. A three-day supply would be considered an emergency.

E-mail williamcroyle@yahoo.com