Last modified: Friday, November 17, 2006
'Battle for Blood' yields record number of donations, IU victory
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 17, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana University has won its blood-donation competition with Purdue University for the second year in a row.
IU won the annual Indiana vs. Purdue Blood Donor Challenge, a friendly competition that encouraged Indiana residents to donate blood. Between Sept. 18 and Nov. 10, participants donated blood in the name of either university at Indiana Blood Center, American Red Cross, South Bend Medical Foundation, Heartland Blood Center and Richmond Community Blood Center locations throughout the state.
IU alumni, students and fans donated 4,700 units of blood, compared to 3,895 units donated by Purdue supporters. The total of 8,595 units donated is a record for the competition, easily surpassing the previous record of 7,669 set last year.
"Our two alumni associations take great pride in knowing we have worked together to help Hoosiers," said Ken Beckley, president and CEO of the IU Alumni Association. "I am deeply appreciative of Jane Hoeppner's dedication as a co-chair of the campaign."
Hoeppner, wife of IU football coach Terry Hoeppner, will present the traveling trophy -- a replica of the Old Oaken Bucket -- to IU on Saturday (Nov. 18). She will make the presentation along with co-chair Arnette Tiller, wife of Purdue coach Joe Tiller, and Joni Wamer of the Indiana Blood Center. The trophy will be presented during halftime of the IU-Purdue football game for the Old Oaken Bucket at West Lafayette. Stan Fox, chairman of the IU Alumni Association, and Bridget Sutton, director of alumni programs, will accept the trophy on behalf of the IUAA.
This year's competition was the 10th Blood Donor Challenge. Purdue leads the series 6-4.
IU and Purdue will be jointly honored for the success of the Blood Donor Challenge next month. The challenge will receive a silver medal for Best Collaborative Program at the annual conference of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, District V. The CASE V region includes more than 462 institutions throughout the Midwest, including all the universities of the Big Ten Conference and several Indiana colleges and universities. The award will be presented at the organization's conference in Chicago on Dec. 12.
This year's Blood Donor Challenge was sponsored by the IU Alumni Association, Purdue Alumni Association, Indiana Blood Center, American Red Cross, Heartland Blood Center, South Bend Medical Foundation and the Richmond Community Blood Center.
The Indiana University Alumni Association is dedicated to serving the university and its diverse alumni, students and friends. As one of the nation's largest alumni organizations, serving nearly 490,000 graduates worldwide, the IUAA provides many programs and services to its members, non-member alumni and the university. For information, visit www.alumni.indiana.edu or call 800-824-3044.
