Weber State’s ready to Bleed Purple for annual Blood Battle

OGDEN, Utah – Weber State University will host the 19th Annual American Red Cross Blood Battle Sept. 12-15 on the Ogden campus. 

Blood donations will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at the Dee Events Center, with additional donation sites available Sept. 12-13 and 15-16 in the Shepherd Union Ballroom.

This event pits WSU against Utah State University in a friendly competition to find out which community can donate more during the five-day blood drive. The winner will be the university with the highest number of donations, but the goal is for each school to collect at least 500 units of blood each. 

“This blood battle is an opportunity for the faculty, staff, students and the community to all come together as one Weber State family and give back,” said Ashley Potokar, WSU student body president. “It's a chance for us to join forces to accomplish something good.”

Donors can register for their appointments beforehand by downloading the American Red Cross Blood Donor app, visiting RedCrossBlog.org or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Use sponsor code Bleed Purple to support Weber State. All are welcome to donate, including students, faculty, staff and community members. 

Blood donors help avoid delays in lifesaving medical care for patients. Blood is an essential resource used for cancer treatments, surgeries and other serious medical issues. The Red Cross has seen a 20% drop in donations in recent weeks, making the Blood Battle more important than ever. 

“For 19 years, this blood battle has really brought the Northern Utah community together to save lives,” said Michael Smauldon, Executive Director of the Northern Utah Chapter of the American Red Cross. “The need is constant, and the students help lead the way to ensure we have the blood supply needed at our hospitals.”

Author:

Jessica Kokesh, social media editor
801-626-7316, jessicakokesh@weber.edu

Contact:

Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu