Blood Donor Challenge set October 18
October 5, 2005
KOKOMO, Ind.—More than 200 people benefited from blood donations made at IU Kokomo for the 2004 IU vs. Purdue Blood Donor Challenge. You can help top that number by participating in the 2005 Challenge blood drive, planned Tuesday, October 18, from noon–6 p.m. in IU Kokomo's Kelley Student Center, Room 130.
Anyone 17 years or older, who weighs at least 110 pounds, is in general good health, and has not donated blood in the past 56 days, can sign up to donate blood. Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@iuk.edu or (765) 455-9411 to make an appointment for donation.
Toni Fox is the American Red Cross donor recruitment representative for the Indiana/Ohio Region. Fox said her office appreciates IU Kokomo's consistent support of blood drives, “saving the lives of countless local patients needing blood products.
“We're looking forward to our second year of involvement with the IU vs. Purdue Blood Donor Challenge,” Fox said. “At last year's Challenge, we collected 57 product units of blood at IU Kokomo, saving more than 200 lives.” IU Kokomo nursing students “did a great job” in helping organize and volunteering during the 2004 event, she added.
Fox's office serves the 42 northernmost counties of Indiana and 8 bordering Ohio counties. All blood collected during the Challenge will be distributed to hospitals in that region.
The local drive is coordinated by the IU Kokomo Alumni Association, the Student Alumni Association, and the IU Kokomo President's Council, in cooperation with the American Red Cross (ARC) Indiana/Ohio Region.
The ninth annual IU vs. Purdue Blood Donor Challenge runs October 3–November 11, with donations being accepted at all Indiana Blood Centers. In Kokomo, the Indiana Blood Center is located in Southway Plaza at 3728 S. Reed Road.
The Indiana University and Purdue University alumni associations sponsor the friendly competition. The alumni group with the most blood donations given in its name during the Challenge period will be honored during halftime of the 2005 Old Oaken Bucket football game on November 19.
A record number of 5,164 pints of blood products were collected in the 2004 Challenge. Purdue supporters, who now lead the series 6–2, donated 2,673 pints, while IU donated 2,491 pints.
