Gamer Guild looking for bleeders and vampires

Student vampires will overrun the campus during the Oklahoma Blood Institute’s blood drive, which will take place between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17.

The Gamer Guild of OCCC is sponsoring “Take Us to Your Bleeder,” an event designed to encourage students to dress up as either vampires or vampire slayers in an effort to foster student blood donations during the drive.

“This is a fun event,” said Karolyn Chowning director of TRiO grant programs. “As we were building up the schedule for the year for the Student Life calendar, the event just kind of arose as the students were talking about the blood drive.”

The blood drive itself will be held in room CU1 of the Main building and will provide donors with privacy and confidentiality.

 

“Take Us to Your Bleeder” fun and games will be held nearby in room CU3 with free snacks and drinks for donors, as well as a video game console to remain true to Gamer Guild fashion. Vampire themed games are expected, but do not be surprised to see classics such as Super Mario World.

“‘Take Us to Your Bleeder’ is designed to allow people to play games after they donate blood,” Gamer Guild member Jeremy McKinley said.

“It allows us to support the blood drive and also drum up publicity for the Gamer Guild.”

Students are responding to the unique concept and campus awareness is growing.

“I think it’s a really clever way to gear up publicity for the event,” student Julie Campbell said. “If it inspires even one extra student to give blood, it’s worth it.”

Healthy people who are at least 16 years old and weigh at least 125 pounds are encouraged to give blood regularly.

The Gamer Guild of OCCC is a club that promotes gaming of all kinds. They gather to play games of all varieties from board and video games, to the more classic pen-and-paper games from years past.

“This is a chance to tell students what we’re about and hopefully encourage more students to donate blood than they might normally because we’re such a spectacle,” Chowning said.

The Gamer Guild is expecting a healthy turnout for the OBI sponsored blood drive.

“Oklahoma Blood Institute is pleased to have strong support on the OCCC campus,” said Leslie Gamble, director of community relations for OBI. “Over the years, we have seen students appeal to others with some very creative efforts. We want donors to realize that by giving blood, they are literally saving lives, and feel that satisfaction in making a life-saving impact.”

The OBI receives more than 125,000 donors each year making it the ninth largest non-profit blood center in America. The blood donated stays primarily within Oklahoma communities so the lives you save could be those of your families, friends, or neighbors.

One donation can save up to three lives, according to the Red Cross. Of the people entering hospitals, one in seven needs blood. More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day.

The OBI is partnered with over 2,500 businesses, schools, religious and civic organizations, which allows them to hold over 4,000 blood drives per year.

For more information visit the OBI website at www.obi.org.

To contact Justin Voda, email onlineeditor@occc.edu.

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