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Big Blue Slam: Bleed Blue and Beat Florida Too
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 25, 2012) — The University of Kentucky has an opportunity to beat the University of Florida in a blood drive this week.
The Big Blue Slam, in its fourth year, started Jan. 23 and runs through Friday, Jan. 27. Don't miss your chance to donate blood and help lead UK to a victory against the Gators.
In this friendly battle, UK fans are able to show Florida fans how much they bleed blue. The Big Blue Slam drive is being organized by the Kentucky Blood Center (KBC) and LifeSouth Community Blood Center in Gainesville, Fla. Campus sponsors of the blood drive are the Center for Community Outreach and DanceBlue.
KBC donor centers are open from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. during the competition. There are also a number of blood drives throughout the area that are still available for donating blood , including ones on UK’s campus:
- Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., at the Singletary Center for the Arts;
- Wednesday, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., at the Ralph G. Anderson Building;
- Thursday, 1 - 7:30 p.m., at the Johnson Center; and
- Friday, 1- 6 p.m., at the William T. Young Library.
Florida came up with the victory last year. Currently, as of completion of day two, UK is leading this year's competition 691 to 672. The close race is too close to call at this point and donors are still needed.
All campus donors will receive a Big Blue Slam T-shirt and a $10 gift card for donating. They will also be entered to win an entertainment package including a 50" 3-D Smart TV, Blu-Ray home theater system, X-Box 360 with Kinect, and a popcorn machine. However, many of the UK students and faculty are opting not to take their T-shirt and/or $10 gift card. KBC will donate the value of those items to DanceBlue.
About KBC
Kentucky Blood Center, the largest FDA regulated blood bank in Kentucky, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring a safe, adequate blood supply for patients at nearly 70 Kentucky hospitals and clinics in more than 60 counties. KBC relies on volunteers to collect 400 pints of blood per day to meet area patients’ needs. Over the last year KBC distributed nearly 130,000 blood components. KBC is headquartered in Lexington where it operates the Beaumont and Andover donor centers. KBC also has donor centers in Somerset and Pikeville.
To find a Big Blue Slam donation location or to schedule an appointment, visit www.kybloodcenter.org or call 800-775-2522.