The University of Tennessee Volunteers easily tamed the University of Kentucky Wildcats in October, but the competition between these rivals isn’t over yet.
The 28th Annual Battle of the Orange and Blue is scheduled for November 16th-20th. The event is a partnership between MEDIC Regional Blood Center in Knoxville and the Kentucky Blood Center in Lexington. The two centers compete to see who can get the most donors to give lifesaving blood. Currently, Kentucky donors hold a 14-12-1 lead over Tennessee including wins the past five years.
In an effort to turn things around this year, MEDIC is partnering with East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. All donors who give blood during Orange and Blue will receive a free ticket to Fantasy of Trees, the annual fundraising event at the Knoxville Convention Center that benefits Children’s Hospital. Donors also receive a special edition Orange and Blue 2015 t-shirt and coupons for a free, small one-topping pizza from Papa John’s and a free appetizer from Texas Roadhouse.
In an effort to reach as many donors as possible, MEDIC is hosting a record 43 blood drives in 16 East Tennessee counties.
Those include:
Monday, November 16th
MEDIC Knoxville Donor Center – 1601 Ailor Avenue, 8am-6:30pm
MEDIC Farragut Donor Center – 11000 Kingston Pike, 7am-6:30pm
MEDIC Crossville Donor Center – 79 S. Main, Noon-6pm (CST)
UT HPER Building, 10am-6pm
Blount Memorial Hospital in Maryville, 11am-6pm
Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge, 11am-7pm
Takoma Regional Hospital in Greeneville, 10am-6pm
Laughlin Memorial Hospital in Greeneville, 10am-6pm
UT Institute of Agriculture, 8am-4pm
Tuesday, November 17th
MEDIC Knoxville Donor Center – 1601 Ailor Avenue, 8am-6:30pm
MEDIC Farragut Donor Center – 11000 Kingston Pike, 7am-6:30pm
MEDIC Crossville Donor Center – 79 S. Main, Noon-6pm (CST)
UT HPER Building, 10am-6pm
UT North Carrick Hall, 1pm-8pm
Papa John’s in Knoxville – 2901 Tazewell Pike, 11am-7pm
Papa John’s in Jefferson City, 11am-7pm
Food City in Oliver Springs, 11am-7pm
Lowe’s in Athens, 11am-7pm
Wednesday, November 18th
MEDIC Knoxville Donor Center – 1601 Ailor Avenue, 8am-6:30pm
MEDIC Farragut Donor Center – 11000 Kingston Pike, 6am-5:30pm
MEDIC Crossville Donor Center – 79 S. Main, 8am-4pm (CST)
UT HPER Building, 10am-6pm
UT College of Law, 9am-5pm
Pellissippi State (Main Campus), 8:30am-4pm
Walmart in Oneida, 11am-7pm
Walmart in Rockwood, 11am-7pm
Walmart in Sevierville, 11am-7pm
Thursday, November 19th
MEDIC Knoxville Donor Center – 1601 Ailor Avenue, 8am-6:30pm
MEDIC Farragut Donor Center – 11000 Kingston Pike, 7am-6:30pm
MEDIC Crossville Donor Center – 79 S. Main, Noon-6pm (CST)
UT HPER Building, 10am-6pm
UT Hess Hall, 1pm-8pm
Walmart in Morristown – 475 S. Davy Crockett Pkwy, 11am-7pm
Walmart in Lenoir City, 11am-7pm
Food City in Maynardville, 11am-7pm
Friday, November 20th
MEDIC Knoxville Donor Center – 1601 Ailor Avenue, 8am-6:30pm
MEDIC Farragut Donor Center – 11000 Kingston Pike, 6am-5:30pm
MEDIC Crossville Donor Center – 79 S. Main, 8am-4pm (CST)
UT HPER Building, 10am-6pm
Walmart in Morristown – 475 S. Davy Crockett Pkwy, 10am-6pm
Walmart in Newport, 10am-6pm
Walmart in Jacksboro, 10am-6pm
Walmart in Clinton, 10am-6pm
MEDIC would like to thank donors in advance for their patience. Short lines are expected at many of our blood drives. To avoid lines, donors are encouraged to visit one of our donor centers – in Knoxville, Farragut, or Crossville – where lines will be significantly shorter.
Some in the community have asked why the competition is beginning more than two weeks after the Tennessee/Kentucky game. MEDIC CEO Jim Decker explains, “A unit of blood has a limited shelf life. The FDA requires blood to be transfused within 42 days. If we held this competition the week of the game, we wouldn’t have the lifesaving blood when we need it most – the holiday season when blood donations tend to drop off.”
Donors who can’t donate for this competition are encouraged to plan a blood donation by the end of the year to ensure local hospitals have the blood they need.
Those who have questions about whether or not they can donate, can visit medicblood.org/eligibility or call (865) 524-3074.
