IU, Purdue compete for Blood Bucket

Hoosier and Boilermaker football players have competed for the Old Oaken Bucket since 1925, feeding the rivalry between IU and Purdue University. But only since 1997 have Hoosier and Boilermaker students, alumni and fans competed for the “Blood Bucket.”

The IU-Purdue Blood Challenge is an annual event to promote blood donation between the two universities.

The challenge began Oct. 6 and ends Nov. 14. The “Blood Bucket,” a smaller version of the Old Oaken Bucket, is awarded during half time of the IU-Purdue football game on Nov. 22 to the university with the most donations.

IU has won the Blood Challenge the last three years, but Purdue has the overall lead with six wins to IU’s five. In total, the challenge received 8,296 units of blood in 2007 and more than 49,000 units total since 1997.

“I like to compare it to donating a can of food. Donating a can of food is great. People need food, but this is life and death,” said junior Heather Schaefer.

Schaefer, who is vice president of public relations for the IU Student Alumni Association, added that SAA focuses on lives saved, not the number of donors.

“We have about 25 members on the (Blood Challenge) committee, so if they all come and bring just one friend, that’s 50 people and 150 lives saved,” Schaefer said excitedly.

Each unit of blood is separated into three components: red blood cells, platelets and plasma. Not every person in need of blood requires all three components, so each component could save a different life.

“Blood can’t be grown in a plant, it can only come from a human being,” said American Red Cross Communications Coordinator for the River Valley Region Loni White, who said IU needs to pay more attention to the lack of blood donors.

“This is really a fight, a challenge to save lives,” White said.

White said 60 percent of the U.S. population was eligible to donate blood in 2007. This number has fallen to 38 percent due to stricter blood donation regulations. Young people are the majority of the donations because they are often healthy, not taking medications and usually haven’t traveled to exotic countries that prohibit them from donating blood.    

“We have a powerful number of 36,000 on campus,” said Trish Surfus, SAA sponsor and associate director of student programs for IUAA. “Even if 25 percent donated, that would blow last year’s numbers out of water,” IUAA and the Purdue University Alumni Association sponsor the Blood Challenge. But many organizations hold blood drives.

“Every student organization jumps in head first,” Schaefer said. “I’ve seen at least two blood drives a day since the challenge started.”

Friday is the first SAA-sponsored drive from 4 to 9 p.m. at the DeVault Alumni Center, followed by Hoosiers Howl at the Moon at 7 p.m. The first 50 donors to sign up on the SAA Web site for the drive will receive “I bleed crimson and cream” T-shirts.

The Indiana Blood Center is a sponsor of the drive, along with the American Red Cross.

Interested donors can visit the American Red Cross Web site at www.givebloodgivelife.org to see a list of blood drive locations and times in the area.