Local “Big BlueOrange Crush” blood drive planned

Medic Regional Blood Center plans to “pull out all the stops” for this year’s BlueOrange Battle for Blood, set for November 18-22. The annual event pits fans of the UT Vols against fans of the University of Kentucky Wildcats; the side collecting the most blood donations is the winner. Local residents will have the opportunity to show their blood really runs Orange when Medic holds a BlueOrange Blood Drive. During the 15-year history of the contest Kentucky fans have won 9 times and Vol fans have been victorious five times; the two sides tied once. Last year, Wildcat followers gave 2,335 pints of Kentucky blue blood and UT supporters contributed 1,912 pints of orange blood. Both sides scaled back promotion and collection efforts last year because Medic, CKBC and many other US blood centers had inventories swelled to capacity because of the surge in donations after the September 11 attacks. ‘We knew that if we collected the 3,000 or so units we hope for each year from BIueOrange that we would have to discard hundreds of pints of outdated blood,” said Jeannine McKamey, Medic’s director of public relations. “Red blood cells have a shelf life of 42 days; for other components it is even shorter,” she said. “This year our problem is the opposite,” said McKamey. “In fact, our inventories of several blood types have been chronically short all year despite a record increase in collections. The 26 hospitals supplied by Medic donors simply are using much more blood and blood products. This seems to be the case throughout the country.” Donors also can give at Medic Headquarters at 1601 Ailor Avenue near downtown Knoxville, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 am and 6:30 pm. Co-sponsors of the Tennessee side of BIueOrange are News Talk 99 Radio and Baskin Robbins Ice Cream, which is contributing a pint of ice cream or frozen yogurt to each donor. Donors also will receive Medic’s Family Blood Coverage. Blood Drive Schedule Wednesday, November 20 UT Student Center, Suites 224-227 all week 9 am to 4 pm South Carrick Hall Lobby 1 pm to 8 pm Athens Wal-Mart 9am to 6 pm Andy Holt Apartments Residence Hall, Bloodmobile 1 pm to 8 pm Thursday, November 21 UT Institute of Agriculture, Hollingsworth Auditorium 8am to 5 pm Rockwood Wal-Mart 10am to 6 pm Morristown Wal-Mart 10am to 6pm Friday, November 22 Methodist Medical Center, Lobby 10am to 6pm Morristown Wal-Mart 10am to 6 pm Baskin Robbins, Middebrook Pike & Cedar Bluff, Mobile 10am to 6pm Monday-Friday, Medic Headquarters 8am to 6:30 pm