Campus News

UK, UT Compete for Big Blue Crush Bragging Rights

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Graphic that says Big Blue Crush blood drive.  KY-TN Blood Battle Nov 18-22

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 20, 2019) — With 611 Kentucky Blood Center donors rolling up their sleeves on Tuesday to prove they bleed blue, University of Kentucky built its lead over the University of Tennessee fans who donated with Medic Regional Blood Center. The score after two days of competition is 1,186 for KBC (Kentucky) and 756 for Medic (Tennessee).

“We are so grateful for the great turnout for the second day of Big Blue Crush,” said Martha Osborne, vice president of marketing for Kentucky Blood Center (KBC). “There are three more days to beat the Vols, but more importantly to build the holiday blood supply with blood donations.”

To assure a sufficient blood supply for the holidays, KBC and Medic Regional Blood Center in Knoxville annually compete to see whose donors can give the most blood the week prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. Kentucky leads the rivalry 17 to 13 with one tie. Last year, the Tennessee blood center snapped UK’s eight-year winning streak.

As a thank you for saving a life, donors will receive a long-sleeved Crush T-shirt, a McDonald’s coupon and a chance to win a four-pack of tickets to the Kentucky-Louisville football game on Nov. 30 in Lexington.

KBC urges Kentucky fans to continue to build the lead by visiting any KBC donor center or mobile blood drive through Friday. A complete list of drive locations and hours is below and available at www.kybloodcenter.org/events/big-blue-crush.

UK students, faculty, staff and fans can donate at the following campus locations today through Friday, Nov. 22:

  • Gatton Student Center (Conference Room 330AB): 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday; and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday
  • Lewis Honors College (Scholars Student Lounge): 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday; 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday
  • Johnson Center (lobby): 1-6 p.m. Thursday
  • UK Medical Center (KBC Bloodmobile, employee drop-off at 800 Rose St.): 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday

If a campus location is inconvenient, KBC urges UK fans to help build the lead by visiting any KBC donor center or mobile blood drive now through Friday in Lexington, Louisville, Pikeville and Somerset. For more statewide locations and times, visit http://kybloodcenter.org/event/big-blue-crush/

  • Andover Donor Center, 3130 Maple Leaf Drive, Lexington
  • Beaumont Donor Center, 3121 Beaumont Centre Circle, Lexington
  • Hillview Donor Center, 5406 Antle Drive, Suite 101, Louisville
  • Middletown Donor Center, 12905 Shelbyville Road, Louisville
  • Pikeville Donor Center, 472 S. Mayo Trail, Pikeville
  • Somerset Donor Center, 10 Stonegate Centre (Stoplight 16A), Somerset

A complete list of blood drive locations and hours is available at www.kybloodcenter.org/event/big-blue-crush.

Blood donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, be in general good health, show a photo I.D. and meet additional requirements. Sixteen-year-old donors must have a signed parental permission slip, which can be found at http://kybloodcenter.org.

Walk-ins are welcome. To schedule a donation or find other donation locations, visit http://kybloodcenter.org or call 800-775-2522.

Celebrating more than 50 years of saving lives in Kentucky, KBC is the largest independent, full-service, nonprofit blood center in Kentucky. Licensed by the FDA, KBC’s sole purpose is to collect, process and distribute blood for patients in Kentucky. KBC provides services in 90 Kentucky counties and has donor centers in Lexington, Louisville, Pikeville and Somerset.

 

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.