The Connecticut Blood Center visited Torrington High School on Thursday for the school’s first blood drive in almost ten years, collecting donations from students and staff between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the THS gymnasium.

The event was coordinated on the high school side by health teacher Ms. Brewer, with support from Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA). By the end of the day, the blood center collected 39 pints of blood, an amount that experts estimate could help save up to 117 lives.

Shannon, a supervisor with the Connecticut Blood Center, praised the school community for its strong turnout and positive energy. “We’re really glad that we came here,” she said. “Everyone has been very giving, and it’s been a very positive experience. Thank you for everything!”

Ms. Brewer echoed that appreciation, noting how impressed she was with both the donors and the volunteers who helped make the event possible.

“I want to say thank you to everyone for your patience and time as we ran our first blood drive in almost 10 years,” she said. “Minus a few hiccups, it ran relatively smoothly. I am consistently amazed at how generous our faculty and students are.”

She added that blood center staff repeatedly complimented THS students on their preparedness, kindness, and enthusiasm. With one successful drive now complete, Ms. Brewer said she hopes to improve efficiency and streamline student tracking for future events.

For now, she said, the message is simple: “A huge thank you to all of you. THANK YOU!”