The annual blood drive, sponsored by Club Med, takes place Mar. 7, from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The drive began at the Academy almost 20 years ago.

Donors must be 18 years old or 17 with written parental consent, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health. They should not have donated blood in the last eight weeks or a tattoo or piercing in the last year.

Every two seconds someone needs blood and one in seven people entering the hospital will use blood.

Before giving blood, donors should drink at least eight to 10 glasses of water in the 24 hours before the donation and one to two cups of water one hour prior. Donors should also eat a healthy meal that has a slight increase in salt and limit caffeine and alcohol intake the day prior to and day of the donation. Exercise is recommended because it helps to increase blood flow. The staff will show donors simple exercises to help blood flow.

Junior Brandie Mendoza said, “I think that it is important that people donate blood because one pint can save three people’s lives. We may even be the people that will need it one day.”

Club Med advisers, Elizabeth Sutter and Erin Flynn, hope at least 100 people will sign up to get the approximate 60 pints needed. Some possible donors are eliminated after registration and speaking to Blood Bank employees.