Clemson, USC battle in annual blood, organ donor drives

Published: November 8, 2011

CLEMSON — Clemson University and the University of South Carolina will face off for the 27th time in the annual Clemson-USC Blood Drive Nov. 14-18. The Donate Life Duel, an organ donor drive competition, will be held the same week.

The drives are open to the public. People can give blood from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day on campus in the Palmetto Ballroom at the University Union or at various mobile units: on Fernow Street, behind the Hendrix Student Center, on Jersey Lane near the Brooks Center and at Edwards, Brackett and Vickery halls. People can also donate at the Hendrix Student Center ballroom on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Blood donations will benefit The Blood Connection and AnMed Health Blood Center.

Blood donors will receive a free, long-sleeved orange T-shirt, a coupon for a free Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich and coupons from other area restaurants. 

Donate Life South Carolina will conduct a donor registration drive during the blood drive as part of its competition between Clemson and USC students, alumni and fans. For more information, visit http://www.donatelifesc.org/pages/DonateLifeDuel.

The Clemson-USC Blood Drive is the largest blood drive in the state. Clemson competition is organized by Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity.

“This is a way we can help people who can’t ask for help themselves,” said Parker Leland, blood drive co-chair for Alpha Phi Omega. “Blood is something that is always needed.”

More than 88,000 pints of blood have been collected by the two schools since the competition began in 1985. Since each pint of blood can potentially save up to three lives, more than 260,000 lives may have been saved by the blood drive competition.

For more information, go to http://www.clemsonblooddrive.com.

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