Blood Donor Challenge gives students opportunity to save lives

How often do students have the opportunity to sit in a chair for an hour and know they have saved three people’s lives? \nStudents will have the opportunity to do just that during the 11th annual IU vs. Purdue Blood Donor Challenge, hosted by the IU and Purdue alumni associations. The challenge, taking place now until Nov. 9, is a competition to see how many donors each school can get. The school with the most donors wins.\n“Our main goal is for both schools to get as much as possible,” said IU sophomore Heather Schaefer, Student Alumni Association director of campus outreach.\nThe heated rivalry between these schools fuels this friendly competition.\n “Of course we will win,” said IU senior Amber Gray, Student Alumni Association director of philanthropy. \nPurdue students naturally disagreed with such a statement.\n“We’ve been a little lazy, but Purdue is definitely going to win,” said Purdue senior Carly Salczynski, Purdue Student Union Board director of homecoming.\nPurdue leads the overall series 6-4, but IU has been victorious the last two years, accumulating 4,700 units of blood in last year’s challenge, compared to Purdue’s 3,895, according to the IU Alumni Association Web site.\nIn addition to bragging rights, the winning school will be presented with a miniature bucket trophy at halftime of the IU-Purdue football game in Bloomington on Nov. 17. \nDuring the challenge, there will be about 25 blood drives on IU’s campus and throughout Bloomington, according to Bridget Sutton, IU director of Alumni Programs. Participants are required to be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health.\nHeather Schaefer, one of the event’s organizers, said she is somewhat scared to give blood but thinks doing so is definitely worth it.\n“You going through a little discomfort is worth saving a life,” Schaefer said. “Homecoming is about showing school spirit, part of which is giving back to your community.”\nLoni White, a communications coordinator for the American Red Cross, expressed similar opinions, wanting to reassure hesitant donors.\nWhite said the process does not hurt, is done with a short needle and is conducted by trained medical professionals. White also noted that the body has its own mechanism for replenishing blood, so giving it will not harm donors. The normal donation at blood drives is one pint.\nWhite provided three additional tips for students who are helping the effort and donating blood: Get a good night’s sleep the day before, hydrate well throughout the day and eat a good meal before coming to donate. \nTo register for a blood drive on campus, log onto www.givelife.org , enter the code “goiu” and make an appointment.\nBoth universities, although in competition with one another, share the common goal of helping others.\n“It’s a contest that will end in saving people’s lives,” White said.