Project HOPE is seeking volunteers for the upcoming Blood Drive to be held at the Student Center on Feb. 13-14 from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Cerritos College is the No. 1 community college in the state that donates when the blood drive is held and Project HOPE coordinator Manuel Canderarlo hopes to continue that success with the help from students.

“It’s important to not only volunteer,” he explained, “but also to donate blood because without blood donations there wouldn’t be a way to save lives.”

Canderarlo also said that he gets a good turnout with student volunteers. He added that during his one and a half year tenure at Cerritos there are on average 40-50 students who volunteer.

Students say that they too think that what Project HOPE is doing is important and that students should donate and volunteer.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Edwin Aguiere, business major, said, “because you will feel good about it.”

He admitted that he hasn’t volunteered but said that he will in the future. As for donating blood, Aguiere has donated twice because he too said that it would save a life.

Andres Alegria, graphic design major, agreed but said that those students who don’t volunteer during a blood drive is probably only because that is a choice that he or she makes.

He said, “However, I do feel that I help an entire community when I donate blood.” Just as Aguiere, he has donated twice.

Janet Juarez, nursing major, said that she hasn’t been able to donate because of her lack of weight, “so I feel kind of bad, but in the end I think that those who volunteer and donate are motivated to do something.”

That is one thing that Canderarlo hopes that students will feel like and commented, “I would say to those students that don’t volunteer or donate blood, don’t be afraid.”

He continued saying that the benefits that students will get from volunteering as well as donating blood is that one of the things that a person can do is put it on a resume that you did a noble act.

In addition to volunteering at Cerritos during the blood drive, Canderarlo has also volunteered at blood drives held in Orange County, San Fernando Valley, Indio, and Los Angeles County.

He also said that one of the benefits he gets is that there are people who would know that someone cared enough to do something for those who are in need of a blood transfusion.

Jessica Macholl, registered nursing major, echoed that sentiment. She said that for someone in need of blood it shapes that person’s chance of survival and thats why students should donate more often.