Campus Recreation’s Lifesaving Partnership with the American Red Cross

Integrity, compassion, exploration, adaptation, inclusion, and determination—these are the core values of UArizona Campus Recreation. And every day, we strive to provide diverse opportunities for healthy lifestyles to our Wildcat community. Through our programs, staff, and facilities, we have created a community that values lifelong well-being and belonging. We encourage this sense of belonging by giving back to the community. Amid the most uncertain of times, Campus Rec continues to provide Wildcats with a safe option for activity and stress relief, finding ways to boost mental health, whether it is working out, listening to music, or giving back to those in need.

Blood donation collection is one such way for Campus Rec to make a difference.  We are honored to partner with the American Red Cross and become a host site, running a blood drive every couple of months. There is a consistent need for blood drives; blood is a precious commodity that is perishable. In fact, blood drives by sponsoring organizations like Campus Rec make up 84% of all donations collected. Blood is a lifeline that can give someone a second chance. But the demand is never ending. The Red Cross needs to collect more than 13,000 blood donations and more than 2,500 platelet donations each day to ensure there is adequate supply.

Our drives give Wildcats the opportunity to save lives. To date, we have hosted three drives and have collected 124 units of blood! We are cultivating a community of donors and continue to add more with every new drive. It is such a great feeling knowing that our combined efforts may give people a second chance at life.

Why not encourage your Wildcat to give blood donation a try? In most cases, it takes less than an hour to donate, but that single donation has the potential to save up to three lives and make a real difference in our community.  

For more information on blood donation at Campus Rec, visit rec.arizona.edu/about/crec-blood-drives or contact Frances Manning at fmanning@arizona.edu.