Thousands of UT students and fans donated blood to the MEDIC Regional Blood Center Nov. 16-20 beating Kentucky with a score of 3440-3368 donations.

MEDIC had multiple donating locations on campus and throughout the community. There were seven donation locations including five bloodmobile stations and two fixed locations. On campus, bloodmobiles were positioned at "The Rock" and Clement Hall, while the fixed locations were at the University Center, South Carrick Hall, Hess Hall and in the Hollingsworth Auditorium.

MEDIC staff members who admitted donors on UT's campus were concerned with only admitting numbers of 90 during most of the week. By Thursday, the staff was blown away with admitting over 150 donors.

"People wait until the last minute, especially students," said staff member Matt Rossman.

 Holidays are the hardest to get people to donate.Jennifer Rose, MEDIC staff member and 2007 UT Communications graduate

Though the blood drive battle between Orange and Blue has ended, at least for this year, patients who need blood do not get a Christmas break from their deficiencies. MEDIC still needs many donations to enable them to help others during the holiday season.

"Holidays are the hardest to get people to donate," Jennifer Rose, MEDIC staff member and UT graduate, said.

Rose currently works with MEDIC in the PR department. She spends 60 percent of her time working in the office and the other 40 percent on the road helping with the blood drives.

Both Rose and Rossman started working with MEDIC by reading job postings in the newspaper. Rossman is happy with his change from AT&T to the smaller company that gives him the chance to help others. Rose had previously worked with the Boys and Girls Club.

MEDIC is a nonprofit organization that serves 21 counties in East Tennessee and Southeast Kentucky. After the blood is collected, it goes through processing, and is sent straight to the hospitals that need it. In partnering with 29 hospitals, MEDIC is able to provide transfusions for patients who need them, platelets to help replace those that were destroyed by chemotherapy and frozen plasma for patients who have clotting deficiencies.

There are approximately seven blood drives a day held by MEDIC with each blood donation having the ability to save up to three lives.