MOSES LAKE — Columbia Basin Secondary School senior Randi Bechyne hopes she established a tradition for the school.

The 17-year-old organized a blood drive through Inland Northwest Blood Center, who provided their Bloodmobile to collect blood at the school Friday.

“We are going to do it again in the spring,” Bechyne said. “I really hope this continues on throughout the years.”

Bechyne is president of the student group Future Business Leaders of America. She thought the blood drive would be a good first event of the year for the group, she said.

“I heard it was done at Moses Lake High School and thought we should do it here too,” Bechyne said.

Bechyne contacted Inland Northwest Blood Center, advertised for the event by making posters, and went from classroom to classroom, urging her peers to donate blood.

“It took a couple months to get everything organized,” Bechyne said. “We worked pretty hard on this, but luckily it wasn’t as hard as we thought it was going to be.”

About 20 students and 12 faculty members donated blood.

“It went pretty well,” Bechyne said. “The blood center was very helpful, they just came and set up so all we had to do was set up tables and give them a list.”

The blood center collects blood from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Samaritan Healthcare each week. About 26 percent of blood donations come from high school kids, a blood center spokesperson said.

“This is an important event because there is people out there that need blood to stay alive and need our help,” Bechyne said. “Some day you might need help and that’s why it is so essential to help others.”

Bechyne said she is proud of the event.

“My favorite part was being able to be a leader,” Bechyne said. “I like to take charge and this was something I really wanted to do.”

Samaritan Healthcare is located at 801 E. Wheeler Road.

For more information on donating blood, call 509-765-5606.