By Megan Kawasaki

The American Red Cross will run this school year’s second blood drive for faculty and students tomorrow in the Chalmers student lounge from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

With parental permission, students as young as 16 can donate blood while anyone over the age of 17 may do so without parental permission. However, the Red Cross requires individuals under the age of 18 to meet certain height-to-weight ratios before they can donate. These regulations are stricter than the 110 pound minimum for donors aged 18 or older.

The drive is coordinated by the student-run Blood Drive Committee and Executive Assistant to the President Ann-Marie Whitman.

“The importance of donating blood can’t be exaggerated enough,” Co-Chair of the Student Blood Drive Committee Justin Cohen ’11 said. “Millions of Americans need blood every year, which amounts to about one person every two seconds. By taking no more than an hour out of their day, students can save up to three lives, without even stepping off campus.”

At last spring’s Red Cross blood drive, there were a record number of participants: 106 faculty, students and parents donated. This year, the goal is to come close to that number.

In-season athletes have been asked not to donate any blood in accordance with the Red Cross’s safety suggestions.