Sacrifice some blood, watch a movie and get a healthy meal. This is what some civic-minded folks did at the ASUAF-sponsored blood drive Oct. 26 and 27 in the Wood Center.

“ASUAF operations focus 99.9 percent on serving students,” Sven Gilkey, 22, who organized the event. “This is one thing that is focused on serving the community, state or even the nation.”

Last March, a new blood bank opened in Fairbanks, the Fairbanks Blood Bank of Alaska, which will allow for more frequent local blood drives. Their hope was to get 200 units from the recent ASUAF drive, but the bank ended up with 61 usable units. Ninety-eight people donated, with each donor yielding about two units of blood. The new blood bank normally gets about two or three walk-in donors per week, so 98 donors from a two-day drive is still helpful. The hospital needs 12 to 15 units per week, and the bank hopes to hold blood drives every month now that they are local. The next one will be in the Wood Center on Nov. 10 and 11.

“It’s difficult to give blood individually,” said Gilkey. The blood drives work well for everyone involved, he said. Donors have the convenience of donating blood on campus, and the blood bank is able to take in more.

Wesley Brooks, a 22-year-old electrical engineering major, said he came for the snacks. When asked if he has ever needed a blood transfusion himself Brooks said, “No, I guess it’s better to give than to receive.”

The students donating blood took the pain bravely. After donating, they all looked a bit pale while they munched on nutritious snacks. Donors are warned to drink extra fluids and avoid excess exercise following blood donation. It is a good way to help people who need it, but it’s important that a donor waits 56 days between blood donations.

Skyler Gallien, 19, has donated blood so many times he’s lost count. “It helps people and I don’t seem to need it,” Gallien said.

Melissa Nelson, 23, looked especially pale, but persevered bravely. “I guess the needle blew my vein,” Nelson said. “I had a wave of nausea, but I feel better now.”

Donors had to go through a basic health screening process to ensure they were healthy enough to donate blood. Anyone who has had a tattoo or a piercing in the last year cannot donate blood for 12 months unless the procedure was preformed at an institution approved by the blood bank.

After the blood is drawn, they take five test tubes that will be sent to Anchorage and then Seattle where it will be tested. “The most important test is the blood type test,” said Susan Baker, center manager for Fairbanks’s blood bank. “If people get the wrong type, they could die.” The blood is also tested for a variety of other diseases that could be transmitted during transfusion such as hepatitis B and C, AIDS, West Nile virus, and syphilis. The results are sent back via computer and donators are notified if they have any of the diseases.

Though blood does not last for a long time, donors can be assured that it will be used if possible. A preservative is added that doubles the life of the blood, then it is frozen at -18 degrees Celsius. Stored like this, blood is good for 42 days. The blood bank tries to use it before its shelf life is up, and if they cannot, they send it to Anchorage. If Anchorage has no use for it, it is sent to the Lower 48.

Gilkey also explained that the blood drives are part of the reason ASUAF is not providing some of their usual blood drive perks. In the past they have given out “goodies” and cards for free copies, but this year budget constraints and an increased number of blood drives make prizes less financially feasible. Gilkey said he had to ask himself, “Is the point to give perks to students, or is the point to give blood?” Student government did provide students with entertainment while their blood was being drained. “Caddy Shack,” and “Bad Boys” played in the background while staff circulated through donors reclining in chairs, softly asking them questions and preparing them for the procedures.