Utah Valley University (UVU) students partnering with the Red Cross and a local business, the Collective Underground, will conduct a blood drive Nov. 25 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Provo Recreation Center to emphasize the importance of blood donation amidst a national blood shortage.
After the blood drive, students will converge at the Collective Underground from 6 to 9 p.m. where they and customers will receive incentives from the business and information on the importance of blood donation. The public is encouraged to attend.
The blood drive is part of a broader student-run campaign designed to raise awareness about the urgent need for blood donations. Throughout November, additional initiatives include informational booths on the UVU Orem Campus, a halftime event at a UVU women’s basketball game, and the distribution of information via digital signage and flyers.
“It’s been really rewarding working with an organization like the Red Cross, especially from a service perspective,” said Mason McLaughlin, a student at UVU. “Getting hands-on experience on a real PR campaign that benefits so many has been invaluable.”
The students are in the university’s “Public Relations Strategic Communications (PRSC) Campaigns (COMM 4850)” class. Their class assignment was to create a campaign for the American Red Cross to boost blood donations in Utah and Utah County. As part of their coursework, they completed at least 20 hours of service learning in the community. All of their communication was based on research, action planning, and message development for the audiences they are reaching.
“We consider ourselves lucky to promote such an incredible organization,” said Holly Perkins, Operations Manager at the Collective Underground. “We’re excited to engage with the community and are eager to help spread the word about blood donation.”
The Collective Underground is a premier consignment store located on Provo Center Street. The Collective Underground offers a variety of goods bridging the gap between thrift and boutique.
The American Red Cross of Utah supplies blood to 100% of hospitals in the state for free and is continually looking for ways to increase donations. With only 3% of all eligible donors contributing, the Red Cross hopes to increase the total number of donors to make an impact on the national blood shortage. The Red Cross continues to emphasize the importance of blood donation diversity and is working on targeting a young-adult population as a potential future audience.
