Tennessee and Kentucky fans will have another chance to compete just days after the two football teams meet at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, November 15. The twenty-seventh annual Orange-Blue Blood Drive Battle will take place Monday, November 17, through Friday, November 21.
Each year, UT takes on the University of Kentucky in the friendly competition to see which fan base can bring in more blood donations during a five-day period.
The competition began in 1987 as a way for the Medic Regional Blood Center and the Kentucky Blood Center to collect enough blood to adequately supply local hospitals during the holiday season. Blood donations decline during the holiday season, though the need often increases.
“We see a drastic decline in blood donations due to people’s various commitments during the holiday season,” said Felicia Rhodes, donor resource coordinator for Medic. “We also see an increase in car accidents during this time due to travel and health issues that arise in colder season, so it’s very important for us to try to get as many donations as possible.”
Each day of the competition, the community can donate from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Carolyn P. Brown University Center, Rooms 223-225. Other campus donation locations are as follows:
- Monday, November 17—8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the UT Institute of Agriculture, Hollingsworth Auditorium.
- Tuesday, November 18—11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the South Carrick Residence Hall lobby.
- Wednesday, November 19—9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in College of Law Room 158.
- Thursday, November 20—1:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Hess Residence Hall lobby.
Kentucky has won the competition for the past four years.
All donors will receive a free T-shirt, a free movie ticket, a coupon for a small one-topping pizza from Papa John’s, and a coupon for a small frosty from Wendy’s.
Daily score updates will be posted at the University Center in front of the Rocky Top Café.
For more information about the Medic Regional Blood Center, visit their website.
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C O N T A C T :
Felicia Rhodes (865-719-9654, frhodes@medicblood.org)
Katherine Saxon (865-974-8365, ksaxon@utk.edu)