January 19 through February 19 marks the dates of the Big Ten Blood Challenge between all of the Big Ten schools. The competition extends the athletic rivalries as students, faculty and staff donate pints to save lives. If you have never given blood, please consider making a donation, and if you are a loyal donor, this would be a great time to give the gift of life once again.

The Red Cross often finds it difficult to meet hospitals' needs for blood, particularly during the winter months. At this time, the supply of all blood types, particularly O negative and B negative, are at perilously low levels. Every two seconds of every day someone needs blood, whether it is for children with sickle cell, trauma victims, selected surgeries, or chemotherapy.

Please help! By donating a pint of blood, you can assist in ensuring that local needs are met. Just one donation can potentially save three lives. Signing up is easy. Simply visit the website www.givelife.org and enter the sponsor code "goblue" to make an appointment.

To celebrate the Midwest's largest winter Blood Challenge and to thank those who seek to propel Michigan to an early lead in the competition, the American Red Cross will provide those who attend one of our January drives with a Subway/Starbucks gift card, while supplies last.

For your convenience, dates, times and locations are listed below. Questions and comments can be directed to bb09@umich.edu.

Please eat (iron rich foods) and drink lots of water before you donate blood! THANK YOU for giving the gift of life. Bleed MAIZE and BLUE!