A horde of volunteers paraded with signs on Baker University Center’s second floor Monday, beckoning students to “get swabbed” to become possible bone marrow donors.
Though the drive was offered for seven hours, there was a steady flow of students stopping by, said Lauren Goldberg, facilitator for Monday’s drive and the engagement professional for Hillel at Ohio University.
Performances by the Singing Men of Ohio and Women’s Chorale as well as a DJ, a photo area and cookies drew some students in, but the drive’s success was owed in large part to the volunteers, said Henry Kessler, a “Got Swabbed?” intern and a sophomore studying art history.
“We’ve had a phenomenal group of volunteers working, and as someone leaves, someone takes their place,” Kessler said. “We can’t do it without our volunteers.”
Volunteers texted, tweeted and tagged their friends in Facebook posts to help spread the word during the seven-hour drive.
Jeff Koch, a sophomore studying English, said he got swabbed because of a friend’s suggestion and because he liked the idea.
“Any time you can do something to save a life, you should,” he said. “It took me five minutes, and there might be a grateful 6-year-old out there waiting.”
Allison Brandon, a member of Hillel at OU and a junior studying dance, volunteered at smaller drives this year, but Monday’s drive was her first time volunteering at a larger event.
“When I got swabbed as a freshman, I didn’t really know about anything, and I wasn’t involved,” she said. “I thought to myself that if I got called, it’d be a good thing to do for someone else, and I intend to be more involved with Hillel.”
Monday’s drive was the second year Ivan Velez, a LINKS peer advisor and a junior studying communication studies and business, volunteered as a swabber.
“Numbers show that a match is hard to find, so you need as many people as possible,” Velez said.
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