USC looking to tie rival at annual event
The 28th annual Carolina-Clemson blood drive kicked off Monday, and students are giving gallons to beat Clemson and tie them for overall wins.
With Clemson at 14 wins, and South Carolina at 13, this year’s contest is “extremely important,” said Anna Drew Jackson, the blood drive’s head.
In fact, the USC organizers refused to release the exact amount of blood donated on the first day, for fear Clemson students would see it.
“We always try to beat our goal from the previous year,” said Jackson, a third-year exercise science student. “We’ve won the last four years and we really want to keep that up to tie Clemson.”
The annual Carolina-Clemson blood drive is always held the week before the Carolina-Clemson game, the beginning of the holiday season when the blood supply normally declines.
This year however, blood is in even higher demand, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
“The American Red Cross had to close off over 100 drives they were going to originally have in the Northeast,” Jackson said. “A lot of the blood from this drive and other ones down here will go up there to help relieve some of the areas in need.”
Many students donated to help people they have never seen or met, but one person was inspired to help others because of her personal experience.
“My brother is a cancer patient at a hospital in New York City, and I felt good knowing that it would help people like him who really need it where a supply is currently limited,” said blood donor and third-year nursing student Rachael Byrnes.
All presenting blood donors at USC will receive a free T-shirt, free food and chances to win door prizes during waiting periods. Gift cards from sponsors including Orange Leaf, Insomnia Cookies, Chick-fil-A and Moe’s Southwest Grill will be given out.
“It’s going to be a long week, and it just gets busier from here so we are doing everything we can to keep the morale up,” Jackson said.
The Sorority and Fraternity Councils contributed a total of $6,000 for blood drive funding, but Jackson said additional fundraising and sponsors were still required to make the event a success.
“We’ve been preparing since January, we have 12 committee heads and many other volunteers working the event this week,” she said.
Logan Echols, who heads the drive’s public relations, said getting the word out about the drive is crucial, especially when trying to attract students who have lots of other obligations.
“Something we have to do is advocate people to go give blood,” the fourth-year management student said. “People aren’t going to go give blood unless they are asked to.”
The drive will conclude at the end of the week. The Red Cross will be accepting donations in the Russell House Ballroom from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and at various blood mobiles around campus throughout the week.
“Although we are competing against Clemson, at the end of the day we are all just here to save lives,” Echols said.