Girl Scouts Host Blood Drive To Support Fellow Scout With Leukemia

Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma in Troop 12 busted out their cookies, not to sell but to give away to people who rolled up their sleeves and donated blood. The Troop hoped the event would earn them their Silver Award while helping another girl scout in need.

Troop 12 jumped into action and organized a blood drive after they learned how much donated blood helps a fellow girl scout battle cancer, and the community responded.

"It's just an incredible feeling. We started really small in our Troop Leader's backyard and now it's blown up into this big thing and we have everybody here," said Troop 12's Lauren Connelly.

Troop 12 of the Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma finally got to see the results after they planned the blood drive for months. Troop Leader Jessica Gibson says the idea for the blood drive came after the scouts learned that a girl in another troop is diagnosed with leukemia. All of the donations will go in her name.

"Girl Scouts and blood donation is not a normal occurrence. This was just something that really spoke to my girls," said Gibson. Connelly added, "we had a meeting with her, and she came and talked to us about her story."

"It made us happy that we knew we were making a difference," said fellow Girl Scout Kinley Reichenberger.

"It makes my heart so happy because we're already struggling right now with the younger generation. Those are our future donors," said Emma Meyer with the Oklahoma Blood Institute.

The troop is also working to earn their Silver Award, which requires the girls to focus on a single cause. Each donor got to pick out two boxes of girl scout cookies and the first one hundred got a free tee-shirt. 125 people signed up in advance, which filled all 125-time slots.

"Every donation can impact up to three lives in the hospital. So, if all of those 125 comes that's 375 lives that will be impacted, " said Meyer. Gibson added, "I'm actually a walk-in so I don't even count towards those numbers."

OBI says Troop 12's blood drive has had one of the best turnouts.

"I think the girl scout cookies are a big draw. Every donor gets two boxes. It's hard to say no to girl scout cookies," said Meyer.

The drive ended just after five, and the troop has now earned their Silver Award. They'll receive it at an award ceremony later in the year.