Column:

Donate blood, save lives

By Spencer Engel

Published Oct. 16, 2008

 For the most part, Homecoming is a giant waste of money. Fraternity and sorority pairings have to spend thousands of dollars on pomp boards and paper (if you don't know what they are, consider yourself luckier than Lou Gehrig), dance and skit materials, float materials and a whole boatload of other hidden costs like pointless "Pride Packs."

Sure, this stuff all looks cool to students, faculty, visitors and little kids. Talent is always entertaining. Whether the performers are Broadway-worthy or elementary school-play-worthy, the float procession is fun to watch and house decorations are a blast to check out on the Friday night before the Homecoming football game.

I'm not saying we should get rid of this stuff, but I wish it could make more of an impact. Instead, all the float, skit, dance and pomp materials get destroyed immediately after each event is over.

Fortunately, Homecoming provides many other programs that have a lasting impact on the community, such as the Homecoming 5k Run/Walk, which benefits The Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders and various service projects like Habitat for Humanity and the Tiger Tango.

However, the most important event of Homecoming occurred earlier this week (though the deferral date is Oct. 21): the Homecoming Blood Drive.

In partnership with the American Red Cross, MU hosts one of the largest blood drives in the world every fall and spring. Students, faculty and other Columbia residents go to the Hearnes Center and bravely allow nurses who they've never met to stick long needles into their arms and take their pints of blood. Forget stage fright during the talent competition, giving blood sounds way scarier. However, donors keep coming back year after year because they realize how beneficial their donations are. Also, it doesn't hurt that after giving blood, donors have their choice of pizza, chips, cookies, juice and other snacks, provided they don't pass out first.

Blood donors aren't the only volunteers who make the blood drive so successful. There are many other volunteers, students and adults, throughout the Hearnes Center during the blood drive. These volunteers pass out snacks, keep their eyes on woozy donors, check people in and out at the door, pass out T-shirts and work on a cure for hemophilia.

OK, they leave the last one to the scientists, but you get my point. The blood drive brings together thousands of volunteers for an excellent cause. (Plus, as one of my more promiscuous friends points out, it's a free STD test; the Red Cross tests donors' blood for free.)

And get this: Not only do Columbia residents and students give blood on these days, but there are multiple satellite drives all over the state as well. Add on a few more thousand donors and a few more thousand lives saved and you got yourself one hell of a blood drive. Last year, donors at the blood drive gave 4,100 units of blood that saved more than 12,000 lives. This year, donors are projected to surpass both those numbers. If you were not one of the thousands of donors this past week, I strongly suggest you either go to the deferral day or get into the habit next spring.

Unlike the winners of Fling, who nobody will remember in five years - sorry 2007 winners Alpha Delta Pi sorority and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity - you will make a lasting difference on a number of peoples' lives by donating blood. Plus, it only takes an hour to give, not 20-30 hours a week like pomping (not that I'm bitter).

Go donate!