With an increased emphasis on service this election year, the Community Service Office again will be sponsoring four University-wide blood drives throughout the academic year.
The first drive will be held Sept. 16 at 13 locations throughout the WUSTL community, including the Danforth, Medical and West campuses. Donors will have a variety of times from which to choose to make their offering.
Last year’s blood drives proved incredibly successful. The University community donated more than 1,800 units of blood, tripling the amount donated during the previous year.
“The community really stepped up last year,” said Stephanie Kurtzman, director of the Community Service Office and associate director of the Richard A. Gephardt Institute for Public Service.
“We hope to keep that momentum going. There is great need for blood in the St. Louis area, and our goal is to increase the donations from last year’s total,” she said.
Kurtzman encourages WUSTL community members to register online so that the events will be properly staffed by the blood banks.
“We welcome walk-in donors, but appointments help us stay on schedule so that donors can get in and out faster,” Kurtzman said. “Also, when you sign up online, you can change your appointment at any time.”
Those who cannot donate blood or don’t want to can also sign up online to volunteer at one of the donation sites.
Would-be donors and volunteers are encouraged to sign up at communityservice.wustl.edu/donateblood.
The blood drives are sponsored by the Community Service Office, in collaboration with American Red Cross and Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center.
Future blood drives on the WUSTL campuses will take place Nov. 12; Jan. 27, 2009; and March 25, 2009.