Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, left, honored the Christ the King community, including CTK President Michael Michel, for being a leader in blood drive donations. Photo courtesy Christ the King
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio gave a big thanks to high schoolers in Middle Village for opening their hearts and arms to those in need.
Christ the King High School at 68-02 Metropolitan Ave. led all Catholic high schools in the Brooklyn-Queens Diocese during last year’s blood drive, dumping a total of 287 pints of blood for the good cause. DiMarzio honored Christ the King at a special ceremony, the school said last week, recognizing students and staffers for their efforts as the blood drive’s leading Catholic high school.
Michael Michel, president of Christ the King High School, said the school’s whopping 287 pints of blood was a record for the school. His school was honored along with several others in the March 6 event, held at the Immaculate Conception Pastoral Center in Douglaston.
“I want to thank everyone who donated blood and those who volunteered for this important community event,” Michel said. “The Christ the King community has proven once again its commitment to faith, academic achievement and service to the community.”
The Middle Village high school has been among the many city schools to participate in the annual blood drive, which the Diocese of Brooklyn said has amounted to nearly 6,000 individual blood donations every year. Other honorees that were recognized in last week’s celebration included Flushing’s Holy Cross High School with 251 pints of blood donated and Fresh Meadows’ St. Francis Preparatory High School with 218 donations.
Christ the King and the 18 other high schools throughout the Brooklyn Queens Diocese’s network partnered with the New York Blood Center in the annual blood drive last year and re-upped for another year with the upcoming spring drive set for April 16 between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the school. The partnership made way for the school to “positively impact the lives” of more than 800 patients in need, the school said in a statement.
“This is truly a great achievement,” Michel said. “Save the date for Christ the King’s next blood drive. Come out and help us break our own record.”
Christ the King High School is home to nearly 900 students and its campus community also includes a continuing education office as well as a daycare center of about 350 children.
For more information, anyone interested in the school’s annual blood drive can contact Alice Wenz at (718) 366-7400, extension 244.
By Phil Corso
