As students make tailgating and post-game plans for Saturday’s Civil War football game, some students are preparing for a different matchup between the University and its Corvallis rival.
The Lane County Memorial Blood Bank and the American Red Cross are holding the third annual Civil War Blood Drive until Nov. 17. For the past week, these two organizations, with the help of the University’s Student-Alumni Relations Board, have volunteered on- and off-campus recruiting students and community members for the drive.
Volunteers have been stationed at the EMU and Bean Complex to assist blood donors by signing them up for the drive and escorting donors to and from the bloodmobiles.
Music major Jethro Higgins said the donation process was smooth and well worth his time.

“It is an easy yet worthy community service because it only takes an hour, but it can make a big difference,” he said.
Junior Kerra Schmidt, SARB blood drive chair, said she has noticed “a good student turnout this year” and that the blood drive’s student turnout has grown each year.
“The amount of students attending the drive this year leads me to believe that
we could win the competition this year,” Schmidt said.

So far, the University has a 1-1 Civil War Blood Drive record.
“Every 24 minutes someone needs a blood transfusion in Lane County and one donor has the ability to save three people’s lives,” Lane County Memorial Blood Bank spokesperson Kristi Henderson said.
“In the United States, someone needs a blood and transfusion every two seconds and the holidays are a time when blood is needed in blood banks the most,” Sandi Lesch, American Red Cross event coordinator, said.
The Lane County Memorial Blood Bank has coordinated with SARB to give students the opportunity to donate on campus monthly this year.

Kate Webster is a freelance
reporter for the Daily Emerald