American Red Cross, UW hold ‘Bucky’s Blood Drive’

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - There is a constant need for blood donations across the United States. That goes for all blood types, but those with O blood are especially encouraged to donate right now.

UW Madison students got the chance to roll up their sleeves on Wednesday and Thursday to help out the American Red Cross.

Bucky’s Blood Drive, which is held every year at the beginning of the spring semester, is a part of the Share Your BIG Heart Campaign: A competition against other Big Ten schools to collect the most blood donations. Organizers said they are in it to win it.

“Hoping to collect as much blood as we can through the end of February and compete against other schools,” Roxie Berra, Account Manager for the American Red Cross, said.

The American Red Cross said every two seconds, blood is needed to respond to a patient emergency in the U.S. and between Wednesday and Thursday at the Nicholas Recreation Center on campus, about 300 people came to donate blood. Anyone was able to take part.

“So we’re definitely taking first time donors. You don’t need to know your blood type to come and donate. Return donors as well. Bring a friend. Come and save lives together,” Berra said. “Blood is always needed. It’s something that cannot be stockpiled. It is perishable so we always need donors to come and donate.”

For UW Junior Hayden Schomburg, it was a spur of the moment decision to donate blood.

“I saw that it was available and I came out and just donated some blood,” he said.

Although Schomburg wasn’t planning on donating blood on Thursday, he knew it was a no-brainer if it meant saving someone’s life.

“Super rewarding. I mean obviously someone is going to get the blood whether it’s a sickle cell anemia person, someone during childbirth, trauma, any of those types of incidents and I get to help someone when they’re in a time of need,” Schomburg said.

Not only are UW students competing against other Big Ten schools, they’re donating blood to get some bragging rights on their own campus.

“All presenting donors are entered to win a terrace chair. An actual terrace chair,” Berra said. “People are really hoping to be the one that wins it.”

Those who donated blood also got a $10 Amazon gift card and were put into a drawing to win a trip to Florida.

For more blood drives in Madison, visit here.

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