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Donate today at the CAA blood drive in Trabant
“This is the third year that the University has participated in the drive, and the University community is really behind the effort,” Emily Fowlie, Blood Bank of Delmarva external communications coordinator, said. “Last year we had 700 prospective donors, and we have really high hopes that we’ll surpass that number this year. Coming in this morning there were 600 [persons] preregistered, and we anticipate a number of walk-ins throughout the day.” Last year, during the biggest one-day blood drive in the history of the Blood Bank of Delmarva, 311 units of blood were collected from members of the University community, trumping the previous one-day record of 282 units collected at UD during the inaugural 2002 CAA blood drive. Among the earliest donors this morning was Fightin’ Blue Hens head football coach K.C. Keeler, who took a break from preparing for Saturday’s upcoming game against arch-rival Villanova to support the cause. “This is something the athletic department has made a major commitment to, and we all try to get out and support this cause,” Keeler, said. “I come down here to lend my name and donate my blood every year. Especially as the holidays near, giving blood seems especially important.” For Rebekah Kaplan, a freshman sociology major from Newark, donating blood was the best way she could think of to serve the community. “You save two lives every time you give blood,” she said. Mark Yocum, a junior chemical engineering major from Tamaqua, Pa., said that his participation in the “Have a Heart” Blood Challenge is both a personal and organizational commitment. As a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity, Yocum has participated for the past two years in the Crimson Gift—a fraternity-driven campaign that encourages blood donations from all Kappa Alpha members. “This is the second year I’ve been involved,” Yocum said. “I feel great. I came early because I figured it was going to be crowded, and I wanted to beat the lines.” A number of UD faculty with teaching commitments later in the day also donated early. Robert Ketcham, a biology laboratory coordinator, said he was grateful for the convenient hours and central location. “I’ve been a member of the blood bank for years, and this drive made donating really easy,” he said. Helping out in the canteen, where donors flocked afterwards to boost their blood sugar and fluid levels with cookies, juices and sodas, were members of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, the Resident Student Association and the Hispanic Organization for Latino Americans (HOLA). “I can’t give blood since they can never find a vein, so this is a good way to help instead,” HOLA member Anitra Brooks, a freshman from Baltimore, majoring in hotel, restaurant and institutional management, said. Christine Dierickx, a freshman dietetics major from Wilmington, likewise said that volunteering at the recovery canteen was a good alternative for volunteers who couldn’t give blood. “I’ve always wanted to give blood, but can’t, so I do this instead,” Dierickx said. The Blood Bank of Delmarva serves 18 hospitals and 13 renal care facilities on the peninsula and is in charge of collecting approximately 120,000 blood products annually—products that keep more than 20,000 people alive each year. Members of the UD community who have not preregistered but would like to give blood and help put UD over the top in this year’s CAA “Have a Heart” Blood Challenge, can still make donations until 8 p.m. this evening by signing up at the “walk-in” table at the entrance to the Multipurpose Room at Trabant University Center. To donate, participants must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good general health and have had no tattoos or body piercings in the past 12 months. Donors also should remember to eat a good meal within three hours of donating. T-shirts are given to all participants. Article by Becca Hutchinson To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |
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