Wrestling team helps with blood drive

By Amanda Hickey
Staff Writer

For the wrestling team practice and meets are not enough. They participate in community service, too.

Over the last three years, the wrestling team has participated in Blood Sport, where they encourage students, faculty and staff to “give us your blood or money,” said Head Coach PJ Smith.

“We spearheaded the project and to make it successful we got help from the SGA, TA, cheerleaders and other fraternities and groups to get smaller donations,” said Smith.

Smith feels that the fundraising is good for the wrestlers.

“It gets them into a giving spirit and it gives to the community. It helps the Red Cross in getting blood donations up,” said Smith.

In order to raise the money, the team divided into groups and went to all the buildings on campus.

Freshman Ben Williams was a part of the fundraising.

“We were out there, and we went to dorms and started asking people door to door to donate. How much we put in was how much we got back,” said Williams.

By the end of the week, the team had raised $1,235 for the flood victims and 141 units of useable blood had been donated.

“I was trying to get 130 units of blood and I was hoping to raise $1,000. Every body stepped to the plate, faculty, staff and students. Everybody did a little bit. We had a little drop of blood and a little drop of love. We did it all,” said Smith.

The amount raised also surpassed the amount raised last year. Last year the team raised $825 and 126 units of blood.

“It was one of the best things we could do to give back to the community. Because we’re so busy doing practices and all, it’s the least we could do. It kind of benefits us as a team and it gives back to the community a lot,” said Williams.