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Students, faculty and staff planning to participate in the Syracuse University vs. University of Connecticut, “Are you up for the challenge?: Give Blood” blood drive competition can still donate blood this month and automatically pre-register for the April competition.

For the second year, SU and UConn will compete to determine which school donates the most pints of blood to the American Red Cross. The SU vs. UConn Blood Battle, sponsored by the American Red Cross and Student Affairs, officially takes place mid-April, but participants are encouraged to give blood and pre-register at any of the following blood drives:

• Wednesday, Feb.16,Watson Hall, 12:30-5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb.17, Schine Student Center, 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Friday, Feb.18, Brewster-Boland Lounge, noon-5 p.m.
• Monday, Feb. 21, Flint Hall, 1-6 p.m.

The SU vs. UConn Blood Battle was initiated by the Connecticut and New York-Penn American Red Cross offices in 2009-2010 in an effort to increase blood donations at college campuses. The SU vs. UConn Battle was patterned after the Ohio State vs. Michigan Blood Battle, which began in 2004.

UConn won the challenge last year, collecting 501 April units with an enrollment of 16,998, for a winning ratio of 2.95 percent. SU collected 208 April units with an enrollment of 12,491, for a participation ratio of 1.66 percent. To win this year, SU students, faculty and staff need to collect 438 units of blood in April for a participation rate of 3.10 percent.

Each pint of blood can help save three lives. Over that past five years, students, faculty and staff have increased their blood donations by 58 percent—from 915 pints collected in 2005-06, to 42 drives and a total of 1,447 pints donated in 2009-10. The Sigma Lambda Upsilon benefit drive for Sickle Cell Anemia patients saw 36 first-time minority donors. The Winnick Hillel Jewish Student Organization grew from a single drive to three drives annually, while Greek organizations Phi Kappa Psi, Sigma Alpha Mu and Sigma Chi sponsor two drives annually. In all, SU blood drives have helped save more than 100,000 lives since the partnership began 40 years ago.

By giving blood in February, participants will automatically be pre-registered for the five-day mega-drive from April 11-15. Blood donation sites will include both the Schine and Goldstein student centers and Day Hall. Only the pints collected during the April Blood Battle count in the competition.

For more information about the February blood drives or the April SU vs. UConn Blood Battle, contact Anthony Otero, business manager, University Events office, at 443-1193 or aotero@syr.edu.