It’s a Bloody Battle

The blood battle is on again.

For the past two years Utah State University has gone head to head against the University of Utah in a friendly competition that gets more bloody every year.

The battle entails a week long blood drive from each school. The campus with the most donated blood wins.

Nellene Howard, assistant director for leadership and service at the Val R. Christensen Service Center, helped coordinate the event.

“It’s a really good activity because either way both campuses are doing something good for the community, but the competition makes it that much more fun,” Howard said.

Utah won the first year and USU won the last.

“We had almost twice as many pints as they did,” Howard said.

On top of a bookshelf in the service center, there is a trophy that Utah presented to USU last year when the competition was won. The trophy will stay in the service center or be returned to Utah depending on who wins this year.

“Bleed blue” is the service center’s motto for this year’s competition.

This year’s battle is a bit different than the past, though. Previously the battle had gone on simultaneously between the two campuses; this time Utah won’t be starting theirs until the third week of school, Sep. 13-17.

This could give Utah an advantage, but Dustin Williams, the service learning coordinator, said to keep things fair, they’re going to keep USU’s numbers secret until the U finishes their blood drive.

Howard said she knows the U has a chance, but is confident USU students will pull it off.

“The U has a really large service center and they’re renowned for being really service oriented,” she said, “but I think the students at USU are more focused on volunteering service.”

But Rico Snow, the student president of Utah’s Bennion Service Center, said Utah is going to take the trophy this year.

“We’re going to win,” Snow said.

He said Utah plans to do extensive group advertising on their campus during the week of the blood drive. But behind the battle, the event is just a successful blood drive.

“It’s a fun healthy competition, because it’s also for a good cause,” Williams said.

Williams said the battle is also good for freshman.

“If you haven’t ever done it, try something new,” Williams said. “You’ve got to stretch out and do different things.”

The blood battle will continue this week, 9-3 p.m., until Friday at the Sunburst Lounge in the Taggart Student Center. Students who donate get free T shirts, free juice, cookies and chips.

Kayla Baugh, the donor recruitment representative for Red Cross, said the blood battle helps when the end of the summer becomes more difficult to find blood. Baugh has been at USU signing in students for the drive.

“We love coming up here. You guys [USU students] always do a great job,” Baugh said.

“We had about 144 people donate each day throughout the blood battle last year.” she said.

Brian Fagergren, the Mobile Red Cross team leader, was tagging the blood donations at the battle.

“It’s a good thing to do because you never know when you or someonebody you know might need blood and that the blood is going to be available,” Fagergren said.

Sheldon Browning, the service vice president of Asciotiated Students of USU , said “It takes peoples minds off themselves. They’re saving lives as they get the blood pumped out of them.”