Class of 2013 Grad Hosts 'Super' Blood Drive

By Patch Editor Jessica Mazzola

A Mahwah High School Class of 2013 graduate was behind a blood drive in the township Tuesday that had more than 30 people donate blood to New Jersey Blood Services.

The recent grad, 18-year-old Leo Minuskin, said he’s donated blood, “a bunch of times. I am really close to the cause.”

Minuskin said he received an email from the New York Blood Center about a month ago asking local students to host blood drives in exchange for scholarship money.

“It’s something I was interested in either way,” he said. “I just had to find a place to do it, and it turned out the library was looking to host a blood drive this fall anyway. So, when I told them I could do one now, they were happy to host it.”

Minuskin helped organize and promote the drive, which lasted six hours Tuesday.

“We had a lot of people who are regular donors, and a bunch who were just in the library who saw we were collecting blood and came in to help,” he said. “I don’t think anyone came just because of the Super Bowl tickets,” that will be raffled off to donors at drives in the tri-state area, Minuskin said.

Still, he said, the tickets will be a nice perk.

“People really came to donate blood. I don’t know what the odds of winning [the tickets] are, but somebody’s got to win.”

And, Minuskin got a perk, too – a $250 scholarship for hosting a drive that more than 30 people attended.

Minuskin, who is working for the summer at Darlington County Park, said he will use the money to help pay for books when he starts Binghamton University this fall. And, he hopes to continue to host blood drives.

“It’s something I really want to keep doing,” Minuskin said.

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