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Annual Bucky’s Blood Drive draws more than 850 donors
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by Margaret Kingsbury
Monday, April 4, 2005
More than 850 students, faculty and staff from the University of Wisconsin came out to donate blood at the Kohl Center making officials call the second annual Bucky’s Record Blood Drive an overwhelming success last Friday.
Organized by the student group Give Life in cooperation with the American Red Cross, the annual Bucky’s Record Blood Drive strives to obtain the most blood donations given in a single day. The group collected 750 successful donations and the organizations surpassed their goal of 800 donations this year.
Red Cross recruitment representative and former UW student Nikki Leis said students have a large effect on the success of the blood bank.
“The student population is extremely important because they only make up 15 percent of blood supply right now,” Leis said.
More strain will be put on the blood supply as the Baby Boomer generation continues to age and it will be more important to have younger donors, Leis added.
According to Leis, if a donor starts giving blood at a younger age he is more likely to continue the habit the rest of his life. Events like Bucky’s Record Blood Drive are designed to be a catalyst, Leis added.
“We need to create an awareness at a younger age to continue life-long donation,” Leis said. “The donor base keeps shrinking, and it is our job to get people through those doors.”
To ensure the success of the event this year, many student organizations became involved and showed their support. A Cappella groups, such as the Madhatters and Redefined, entertained the donors giving blood and Badger mascot Bucky gave encouragement to donors. UW’s break-dancing club also gave a performance.
Blood drive volunteer coordinator and UW sophomore Andrea Engel hoped a more festive atmosphere would make the event more of a campus attraction used to lure more students. To increase awareness of the event, students chalked advertisements around campus and handed out flyers.
UW senior and Give Life Spokesperson Krystale Ficco said although blood drives are a tremendous help, it is also necessary to educate people to continue donating blood throughout the year.
“The most important thing about this drive is to educate people that there is a demand year-round and that people need to donate regularly,” Ficco said.
Leis said she agrees people are needed more than once per year and should make multiple blood donations if possible.
The Give Life organization and the Red Cross had help achieving their goals from more than 300 volunteers who participated in the event this year. The largest numbers came from the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and many members of the Greek community and UW athletes also donated blood or volunteered for the event.
“I wanted to volunteer because I know there is such a need for [blood] and so many students really can make a difference,” UW sophomore and volunteer Natalie Lang said.
Leis and Ficco hope to continue Bucky’s Record Blood Drive on an annual basis.
