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Hundreds take part in CAA Blood Challenge
When the doors to the Multipurpose Room in the Trabant University Center opened at 7:30 a.m., a small, but steadily increasing number of potential donors greeted BBD staff and UD volunteers on hand to get the blood drive rolling. "We are so grateful to each and every person who waited in line and gave blood or attempted to give blood," Karen James, BBD external communications coordinator, said. "This is an exciting event for the donors and the students who volunteer. They are involved in something bigger than themselves. It’s a life-saving effort, and it’s great to be a hero to somebody." Throughout the day, the numbers increased, and by late afternoon dozens of UD students and staff were waiting patiently to help UD in its campaign to win its fourth consecutive CAA Blood Challenge. Last year, UD won the “Have A Heart” blood drive with 857 potential donors and 588 units of blood collected, more than doubling the number of attempted donors from the previous year. “We started early, and we will be going [until] late tonight,” Marianne Lazorick, BBD supervisor of the mobile blood donor operation, said. “I love it. The bigger the event, the better I like it. I like the challenge.” Jen Sutherland, a freshman Spanish and political science major, began giving blood while a student in Smith High School in Storrs, Conn.
For Adria Andersen, a senior anthropology major, this year marked the fourth time she has participated in CAA blood drive competitions at UD. “It only takes an hour or so to give blood,” Andersen said. “It also is a really neat way to give back to the community what I have received. This is something that I will continue to do.” Camilo Morales, a senior animal science major, said that he always participates in blood drives, a volunteer activity that he began in high school. “My mother was a volunteer with the American Red Cross, and she got me into becoming a blood donor when I was 17,” Morales said. “I have been doing it ever since, and it was fun coming out here today.” Meghan McGovern, who had a special reason for participating in this year’s "Have A Heart" Blood Challenge, said that BBD staff members helped make giving blood a positive experience.
Student organizations sponsoring the event included the Resident Student Association, Kappa Alpha Theta and HOLA. “This is the second blood drive that I have participated in,” Nadia Abdelkhalek, senior psychology/criminal justice major and HOLA member, said. “I can’t give blood, but I can give my time.” Thomas Gil, a freshman English education member, said he became involved when he heard the HOLA was looking for volunteers to work the canteen area where donors rest and take refreshments after giving blood. “I’m a freshman, and I wanted to be involved,” Gil said. “It’s cool to be here. It’s a very big thing they are doing here, and it’s nice to make people happy.” Lauren Bacon, school program coordinator with BBD said that a lot of behind-the-scenes efforts by UD staff and students go into to making something like the CAA “Have A Heart” Blood Challenge a life-saving success at UD.
Competition for the CAA “Have A Heart” Blood Drive ends at Northeastern University on Dec. 7 Joining UD in this year’s CAA Blood Challenge are the University of North Carolina, Wilmington; Drexel; George Mason; Hofstra; James Madison; Old Dominion; Towson and the Virginia Commonwealth universities; and the College of William and Mary. The annual CAA Blood Challenge began in 2002 at the suggestion of UD President David P. Roselle as a fun way to emphasize the critical importance of donating blood. Each institution promotes the event on its campus and encourages student groups, faculty, staff and alumni to participate and support their school. Article by Jerry Rhodes To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |
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