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WMU, CMU compete in blood drive challenge

Oct. 1, 2010

KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University and its friends and supporters in the Kalamazoo area will be competing with Central Michigan University next month to see which school can collect the most blood for local people in need and the American Red Cross.

The nearly three-week-long WMU-CMU American Red Cross Blood Challenge begins Monday, Oct. 11, and will run through Thursday, Oct. 28. The 2010 goal for this annual fall competition is for the two schools to collect a combined total of 1,000 pints of blood.

Make an online appointment
Give blood at a WMU challenge drive

Percentage goals have been set for each university--the equivalent of 665 pints for WMU and 335 for CMU. Whichever school surpasses its goal by the most pints will win the challenge. WMU has won the last four consecutive contests and since the challenge began in 1997, won a total of six times and tied once.

This year, WMU has scheduled 12 individual blood drives around campus. Donors may make appointments online to give blood at any of these drives. Those who do not have a WMU parking sticker are asked to park at a meter, pay the 25 cents to park for 10 minutes and then during check-in, request a parking permit that they should post in their vehicle. The scheduled drives are:

  • Monday, Oct. 11, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Bernhard Center, kick off drive, sponsored by the Campus Activities Board and Western Student Association.
  • Tuesday, Oct. 12, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Miller Auditorium, sponsored by WMU Red Cross Club.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 13, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Ernest Burnham Hall, sponsored by Burnham and WMU apartments.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 13, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Henry Hall, sponsored by Henry.
  • Thursday, Oct. 14, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Schneider Hall, sponsored by Alpha Kappa Psi.
  • Monday, Oct. 18, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Bernhard Center, sponsored by the WMU Red Cross Club.
  • Monday, Oct. 18, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Engineering and Applied Sciences Building, Parkview Campus.
  • Tuesday, Oct. 19, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Health and Human Services Building, sponsored by the WMU chapter of the American Medical Student Association.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 20, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Student Recreation Center indoor tennis courts, sponsored by Young Black Males Support Network.
  • Thursday, Oct. 21, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Bernhard Center, sponsored by the Health Professionals Society.
  • Friday, Oct. 22, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Garneau-Harvey Hall, sponsored by Garneau-Harvey.
  • Thursday, Oct. 28, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Bernhard Center, finale drive and prize drawings, sponsored by the Campus Activities Board and Western Student Association.

Those who donate blood during this year's competition will be entered in a drawing to win prizes. Donors do not have to be present to win.

Just 5 percent of the eligible U.S. population donates blood in any given year. Yet someone in the United States needs blood every two seconds, and it only takes 10 minutes to actually donate blood and an hour to finish the entire donation process.

People who are at least 17 years old, 110 pounds and in good general health are usually eligible to donate blood. Those seeking detailed eligibility requirements may call (877) 835-5736.

To make an online appointment to give blood at any of WMU's challenge drives, visit redcrossblood.org and click Make a Blood Donation Appointment. To be counted as part of the challenge, enter WMU as the sponsor code, select an individual drive, then set up a personal account if necessary.

For more information about the WMU-CMU challenge, contact C.J. Schmiege, blood donor recruitment representative for the Red Cross's Great Lakes region, at schmiegecj@usa.redcross.org or (269) 870-0015. Information also may be obtained by contacting Drew Mercer, president of the WMU Red Cross Club, at drew.c.mercer@wmich.edu or (269) 625-2063.

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Media contact: Jeanne Baron, (269) 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu

WMU News
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