The weather that kept students out of class this Tuesday has also kept many people across the country from donating blood and platelets. The American Red Cross estimates that it has fallen nearly 9,300 donations short of what it needs to provide to patients across the country.

As a result, the Center for Civic Engagement and Learning at Case Western Reserve University has set its highest goals of the year for its upcoming blood drives on Wednesday and Thursday of next week. The center estimates that it will see 117 donors across the two days—58 on Wednesday and 59 on Thursday. Typical projections for a CCEL blood drive range from 20 to 40 donors.

CWRU’s recent blood drives have “100 percent met and exceeded their goals,” said Adrian Griffin, CCEL program coordinator.

The drive is sponsored by Lambda Eta Mu, the Greek service honor society at CWRU, which is hosting a “blood battle” between various fraternities and sororities on campus. Most CCEL blood drives are co-sponsored by a student organization.

CCEL’s next major event will be the semiannual Saturday of Service on March 22. Students can register to volunteer at one of many sites on campus or in the community. Although this year’s volunteer sites are still being finalized, students in the past have had volunteer opportunities which include volunteering with RePlay for Kids (an organization that adapts toys for disabled children), tutoring children over schoolwork or adults working toward a GED and sorting food and medical supplies

Griffin, who began working at CWRU toward the beginning of this semester, hopes these programs will help students become more aware of the service opportunities that CWRU offers.

“The more you get off campus and break the bubble, you learn how to apply the things that you learn in your courses to real life situations,” Griffin said.

CCEL offers many service opportunities for students who have complicated schedules or aren’t available during typically free times to help them get involved with community service.

“The students I have worked with have been very passionate about service,” Griffin said. “I think it’s going to be an exciting department to be involved with.”