Help SU beat UConn in month-long blood drive competition

Students, faculty and staff at Syracuse University and University of Connecticut will compete in the annual “Are you up for the challenge?: Give Blood” competition. For the second year, the competition determines which school donates the most pints of blood to the American Red Cross.

The SU vs. UConn Blood Battle, sponsored by the American Red Cross and the Division of Student Affairs, takes place throughout the month of April, which is also blood drive month for the American Red Cross. All blood donations collected on campus this year will benefit the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. Nine drives will be held on the SU campus in April, beginning Wednesday, April 6 in SUNY ESF’s Nifkin Lounge from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

“Hosting blood drives on campus allows Syracuse University students, faculty and staff to conveniently give back to their community,” says Bridget Yule, director of Student Center & Programming Services. “It’s a win-win situation: save a life and beat UConn in a competition!”

New this year, the Division of Student Affairs and Office of Academic Affairs are sponsoring a faculty and student drive that takes place Tuesday, April 26, in Flanagan Gym from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Faculty and staff members are encouraged to participate in the cause and competition. However, all drive locations are open to the campus community.

The SU vs. UConn Blood Battle was initiated by the Connecticut and New York-Penn American Red Cross offices in 2009-10 in an effort to increase blood donations at college campuses. The SU vs. UConn Battle was patterned after the Ohio State vs. Michigan Blood Battle, which began in 2004.

UConn won the challenge last year, collecting 501 April units with an enrollment of 16,998 for a winning ratio of 2.95 percent. SU collected 208 April units with an enrollment of 12,491 for a participation ratio of 1.66 percent. To win this year, SU students, faculty and staff need to collect 438 units of blood in April for a participation rate of 3.10 percent.

Each pint of blood can help save three lives. Throughout the past five years, students, faculty and staff have increased their blood donations by 58 percent, from 915 pints collected in 2005-06 to 1447 pints donated in 2009-10. The Sigma Labda Upsilon benefit drive for sickle cell anemia patients saw 36 first-time minority donors. The Winnick Hillell Jewish Student Organization grew from a single drive to three drives annually, while Greek organizations Phi Kappa Psi, Sigma Alpha Mu and Sigma Chi sponsor two drives annually. In all, SU blood drives have helped save more than 100,000 lives since the partnership began 40 years ago.

Blood drives on campus:

• April 6: SUNY-ESF Nifkin Lounge 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
• April 7: Sigma Chi 1-6 p.m.
• April 11: Schine Underground 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
• April 12: Goldstein Student Center (South Campus) 3-8 p.m.
• April 13: Goldstein Student Center (South Campus) 4-9 p.m.
• April 14: Day Hall 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
• April 15: Schine Underground 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
• April 18: College of Law 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• April 26: Flanagan Gymnasium 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• April 27: Haven Hall noon-5 p.m.

For more information about the vs. UConn Blood Battle and campus blood drives, contact Yule at 443-9142 or bmyule@syr.edu. Not everyone is eligible to donate blood, and blood donation is not the only way to support this event. If you are interested in volunteering to support the effort, in lieu of donating blood, please contact Lynne Fox at foxlynn@usa.redcross.org.