The Red Cross is holding a blood drive at the Ferguson Center through Thursday from noon to 5 p.m.
“Our goal is to have as many donors as possible because of the extremely low supply of blood in the United States,” said Leland Manning, director of the SGA’s philanthropy. “The Red Cross is currently in need of 80,000 donors.”
Manning said the SGA hopes for the blood drive to bring the student body together and to realize their potential as a whole.
“In a large university, students rarely understand their ability to come together and make a difference,” Manning said.
As donors, students are required to have a form of identification and answer a few simple questions to make sure their blood can be donated.
However, because of the summer vacation student donors were rarely available.
“Students give us 26 percent of blood we collect,” said Donna McClure, Red Cross account manager for the Tuscaloosa area. “With [students] being on summer vacation that put us in urgent serious need of blood. We are looking to collect 300 pints this drive.”
Vincent Allen, Red Cross team supervisor, said it is important for students to understand the value of giving blood.
“Nobody really understands the importance of giving blood until they need it or until a family member needs it,” he said. “I personally did not know until three people in my family needed it and the hospital told us they did not have a donor. That’s why I come to work every day knowing what I do is needed.”
Even students who are not able to give blood can help with the blood drive.
“Almost every college student is able to give blood,” Manning said. “If not, they can always help spread the word to make just as much, if not more, of a difference.”
