UW Homecoming Committee to host blood drive

Event promotes community engagement, involvement with campus resources

The University of Wisconsin Homecoming Committee is hosting a blood drive at Gordon Dining and Event Center from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 3-5.

Those interested can register through the link on the @wiscohoco Instagram page or through the Red Cross’s Blood Services page, however, walk-in appointments are also accepted.

The blood drive is open to all potential donors, according to UW Homecoming Committee Vice President Mariana Ray-Hernandez.

“We open it up to anybody and everybody who can come and help out,” Ray-Hernandez said. “We believe that Badgers should be included whether they are past and present Badgers.”

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The Homecoming Committee is partnering with the American Red Cross to administer the blood donations.

These donations typically consist of one full pint of blood and other small test samples to ensure blood quality is up to standard. This process generally lasts one hour. Donors can also choose to make a Power Red donation in which twice the amount of red blood cells can be collected, according to the American Red Cross.

The blood donations collected during this drive will primarily be sent to local hospitals, Ray-Hernandez said.

In Dane County, the UW Hospital, UnityPoint Health-Meriter, Stoughton Hospital and SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital will receive donations, according to the Red Cross.

Blood drives with the Red Cross are a long-standing tradition at UW, with the first drive dating back to the 1970s.

The blood drive will promote community engagement and encourage students to get involved with campus resources, Ray-Hernandez said. It’s also important because it captures the UW school spirit of giving back to the community, according to Ray-Hernandez.

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“We’ve been doing it for honestly, as long as I can remember,” Ray-Hernandez said. “A huge part of being a Badger is getting back to the community. And luckily, we’re able to partner with the American Red Cross and help drive that mission of being a Badger.”

The American Red Cross Club at UW will be hosting daily raffles during the blood drive, according to their Instagram. Raffle prizes include packs of Bubbl’r and a Short Stack Eatery sweater. Donors will also receive a coupon for a free slice of pizza.