Blood Drive encourages FSU rivalry, benefitting good cause

Freshman Isabella Antonioni donates her blood during the "Battle for the Bucket" Blood Drive Tuesday afternoon. For "Battle for the Bucket", hosted by FunDay, UM competes against Florida State University for the most pints of blood donated. Shreya Chidarala // Staff Photographer
Freshman Isabella Antonioni donates her blood during the "Battle for the Bucket" Blood Drive Tuesday afternoon. For "Battle for the Bucket", hosted by FunDay, UM competes against Florida State University for the most pints of blood donated. Shreya Chidarala // Staff Photographer
Freshman Isabella Antonini donates her blood during the Battle for the Bucket Blood Drive on Tuesday afternoon. For Battle for the Bucket,, hosted by FunDay, UM competes against Florida State University for the most pints of blood donated. Shreya Chidarala // Staff Photographer

UPDATE: According to OneBlood, the University of Miami donated more blood in this year’s Battle for the Bucket Blood Drive.

UPDATE: According to FunDay Vice President Micaela Nannery, UM donated 225 pints of blood, far more than the approximately 135 pints donated last year.

This week, the university community has battled rival Florida State University for the bucket: the OneBlood Blood Bucket Trophy, that is. The University of Miami has competed in this annual challenge hosted by the committee for FunDay for about six years now. The winning school is based on the number of pints donated.

The pints are donated to one of OneBlood’s 200 hospital partners in the Southeastern United States.

“It is a symbiotic relationship between OneBlood and FunDay,” explained FunDay’s Vice President, senior Micaela Nannery. “FunDay receives sponsorship money, and we organize and promote donations.”

FunDay began work on this event last spring. Nannery recounted that the most difficult part was getting the word out, but that she always donates and was happy to help.

Some students are first-time donors. Sophomore Rachel Mesa said she has been donating since high school. Mesa admitted that sitting down with a needle in her arm is not exactly easy, but knowing that she is potentially saving a life makes it all worth it.

This sentiment was echoed by freshman Taryn Schrems, who believes donating “is just a good thing to do.”

Even though our campus community seems to understand the importance of donating blood, OneBlood representative Eva Michelle explained that this is not the case in general.

“Only five percent of the population donates blood,” she said.

The OneBlood team is in the business of saving lives and, historically, so is the University of Miami. Last year was the first time that UM lost the Battle of the Bucket.

This year’s results will be announced Thursday morning.