News

Rivalry spurs blood drive

Cougar News Services

A rivalry will be awakened. Blood will be spilled. Lives will be at stake. 

Itis not a battle ­ at least not in the violent, combative sense. Itis this yearis "Silver Glove" blood drive competition between the University of Houston and Rice University baseball teams, though the communities at large are encouraged to join the fray. The challenge issued to both schools is to collect more blood donations than the other.

In a similar contest last year between the two schoolsi football teams, Rice topped UH by more than 50 units, but together both teams raised 441 units.

The two teams have already met three times, but their fourth and fifth games will mark the beginning and end of the blood drive ­ April 1 and April 16. 

Starting today, donors can contribute to any one of the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center donation sites around town. The GCRBC Web site, www.giveblood.org, has a complete listing of local sites. 

On campus, three sites will be up at various points during the drive to draw in Cougar participation. On April 2, GCRBC staff members will set up a donation station in the Cougar Den in the University Center. Then, April 10, they will open a station in the Commons area of the Moody Towers Residence Halls. The last on-campus station will be open April 15 at the Athletics/Alumni Center.

The Houston Alumni Organization is co-sponsoring the event with the Association of Rice Alumni. 

"Regardless of who wins on the diamond, the Houston community will benefit when the Cougars and the Owls support this critical drive," HAO President Steve Hall said. "I challenge all Cougars to show that they really do ‘bleed Cougar red.i"

In order that UH receive credit for the donation, donors should use the account number KO98. Rice donors can point their credit to account 5023.

All donors must be at least 17 years of age, weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health without any cold or flu symptoms or other contagious illnesses and have a valid photo ID.
 

 Send comments to dcnews@mail.uh.edu