TOWSON, Md. – Towson University will take part in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) "Have a Heart" Blood Drive Challenge on Wednesday, Oct. 26. This is the 15th year that Towson student-athletes are working with representatives from the American Red Cross to promote the event and show how important donating blood can be.

The Blood Drive will take place in the Potomac Lounge on the second floor of the University Union from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Supporters can preregister for the blood drive by visiting www.redcrossblood.org and then searching with the sponsor word TowsonTigers. People looking to donate can also call 1-800-Redcross.

The CAA "Have a Heart" Blood Drive Challenge was started in 2002 by the league presidents as a way to emphasize the importance of blood donation, the "Gift of Life". Each school designates a day in the fall to have a campus-wide blood drive. An official report from the Red Cross following the drive includes the number of people who donate and the usable units of blood collected. The CAA awards a trophy to the school with the largest number of donors.

"Towson University SAAC is excited to be involved in the CAA Blood Drive Challenge for the 15th year," said Lauren Cahalan, a Tiger gymnast and the SAAC VP for Community Service and Events. "Each pint of blood collected can save up to three lives and can impact many more. SAAC continues to support the CAA blood drive to help our families, friends, and neighbors in need of critical blood donations. We look forward to seeing all those that come out to donate blood on October 26^th!"

Last year, the event resulted in 1,735 actual donors and 1,776 productive units of blood from the 10 CAA campuses. The event has developed into one of the conference's most important public service projects, having raised 43,607 units of blood over the past 14 years while helping to save 130,821 lives.
 
The blood drive organizers hope that students, faculty, staff and administrators will step up and potentially impact the lives of hundreds of people during a critical time for blood donation.