Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
WEKU
WEKU
Shepherd Snyder

Kentucky Blood Center hosts Big Blue Crush blood drive ahead of holiday season

The Kentucky Blood Center is holding its 36th annual Big Blue Crush blood drive this week.

The yearly event is organized as a friendly competition with the MEDIC Regional Blood Center in Tennessee, playing off the rivalry between fans of Kentucky and Tennessee athletics. It’s a way for the two centers to make sure blood is available during the holiday season.

Kentucky Blood Center representative Eric Lindsey says the feeling of competition is one of many motivators to help with a downturn in donations since 2019.

“To be frank, some folks, this may be the only time of the year they donate, and it's rooted in that love for Kentucky athletics and wanting to beat Tennessee in all things,” Lindsey said.

The drive is also meant to help with a downturn of donations blood centers have seen since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Now, we'll say, in the last year or so, we've been encouraged to see our numbers starting to inch their way back up to pre-pandemic levels,” Lindsey said. “But it's still not what it was prior to 2020.”

Information on where to find donor centers, how to schedule an appointment and to check if you’re eligible to give blood, is available at Kentucky Blood Center’s website.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.