By Kathryn Dean, American Red Cross volunteer

It’s already nearing mid-December and with the holiday season in full swing, the spirit of giving is on many of our hearts and minds. As we grow older, we learn to appreciate the fulfillment that giving to others brings. This year, as we consider ways to give back, either through gifts, service, or charity, let’s remember one other significant way that we can help – by giving the gift of life through blood donations.

Merrylou Windhorst knows the importance of giving back to the community. She has been doing it throughout her almost 80 years of life (she’ll reach her milestone birthday on Christmas day this year).As a teacher at St. Vincent – St. Mary High School (St. V’s) in Akron and now as a volunteer for the last 50 years, Merrylou has been mentoring students and organizing blood drives through the American Red Cross, giving back to the community that she loves.

Merrylou started out as a student at Our Lady of Elms Catholic school. After graduation, she stayed on as religious sister at the Elms for 11 years before feeling called to do something else. That something else was to become a mother and a teacher, and thus starting her work at St. V’s. During her tenure, she worked as a health and physical education teacher, as well as teaching theology and coaching softball.

Her interest in health and well-being led her to start a program at St. V’s about 40 years ago that she still leads and is still going strong today, the Future Medics program. Recently she has expanded the program to include students from her alma mater, Our Lady of the Elms. In it, students who have an interest in the medical field meet up once a month and learn about career options and hear from alumni who have found success in medicine. Students also help to run three blood drives per school year, something that she brought to the school over 20 years ago.

“As a teacher I’ve always said ‘don’t just think of yourself as a ME, turn the M upside down and it becomes a W, becomes WE’… and that’s kind of what I have done as a teacher and especially at Future Medics and at blood drives. It’s time to give to other people.”

High school students who are 16, with a parent’s permission, can donate blood. Students can also volunteer to work at the blood drives. Either way, they earn service hours for graduation, an important part of the culture at St. V’s. Merrylou is so proud of her students and their willingness to go above and beyond for their community.

“I’m always honored and amazed at these young people at age 16, and it’s gotta be scary to roll up their sleeve and give blood.”

She said with the students help, they often make or exceed their donation goals. Their next blood drive is scheduled for Jan. 22 at the school and is open to the public.

“You think about, when can you save a life? How can we ever in our life, other when you stop and give CPR to somebody on the side of the road, who can say, ‘I’ve saved lives?’”

Recently Merrylou received recognition from the Red Cross for her over 20 years of service in organizing blood drives.

If you’re considering donating and giving the gift of life this holiday season, join us at the annual holiday blood drive at the Sheraton Suites in Cuyahoga Falls on Dec. 17 from 7am-7pm. There will be refreshments and raffles all day, and all donors will receive a free, long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt!

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer