KERN COUNTY, Calif. (KERO) — Houchin Community Blood Bank announced that blood recipient and high school student Hallie Keese will serve as Houchin's first high school-level spokesperson, as well as the first spokesperson for the Houchin Heartbeats program. The announcement came via press release on Sunday, December 4th.
According to Houchin, Keese has first-hand knowledge of how important blood donation is, as she had her life saved by donors after an accident when she was 11. Since then, Keese had advocated for blood donation. Now Keese is 16 and eligible to donate blood herself, and she is challenging other high schoolers to do the same.
"Blood saved my life and now I want to pay it forward," said Keese. "I am challenging all high school students to join the Houchin high school challenge and donate blood this year.”
The challenge is specifically aimed at high schoolers, who have been less likely to donate since the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Since COVID, Houchin Community Blood Bank’s donors that are 19 and under have declined by over 42 percent," said a representative of Houchin through a press release. "High school blood drives oftentimes is the first time many donors start their donation journey, which is why it is important for the youth to consider donating blood now."
Houchin will have mobile clinics available at some Kern County schools on the dates listed below.
North High School: December 6th, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Taft Union High School: January 17th, 2023, 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Stockdale High School: January 27th, 2023, 8:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Foothill High School: February 1st, 2023, 8:45 am to 2:30 pm
Mira Monte High School: February 2nd, 2023, 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Tierra Del Sol High School: February 3rd, 2023, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Golden Valley High School: February 7th, 2023, 8:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Ridgeview High School: February 8th, 2023, 9:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
East Bakersfield High School: February 10th, 2023, 8:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Kern High School CTEC Campus: February 14th, 2023, 7:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Highland High School: February 17th, 2023, 9:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Kern Valley High School: February 22nd, 2023, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Liberty High School: February 23rd, 2023, 8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Bakersfield High School: February 24th, 2023, 8:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Centennial High School: February 28th, 2023, 8:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Vista High School: March 3rd, 2023, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
South High School: March 10th, 2023, 8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
West High School: March 17th, 2023, 8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Arvin High School: March 21th, 2023, 7:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Stockdale High School: March 24th, 2023, 8:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Foothill High School: March 29th, 2023, 8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Mira Monte High School: March 30th, 2023, 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Frazier Mountain High School: April 12th, 2023, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Golden Valley High School: April 18th, 2023 8:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Frontier High School: April 21st, 2023, 8:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Independence High School: April 25th, 2023, 9:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Stockdale High School: May 19th, 2023, 8:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
The mobile clinics held at Kern Valley High School and at Frazier Mountain High School will also be open to the general public.
For more information on upcoming blood drives and where to donate blood, call (661) 323-4222.
