The Residence Hall Assocation at UW-Platteville has planned for its annual blood drive to run from Oct. 30 until Nov. 1 in the university rooms of the Pioneer Student Center.

The drive will operate between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. for three days , Emily Niebuhr, RHA president and blood drive coordinator, said.

Students need to bring their student ID with them and also try to eat foods high in iron on those days. Glenview Commons will also advertise foods high in iron during the drive so that students can prepare to give blood.

In the past, the goal has always been to collect 600 units of blood, and last year RHA nearly reached their goal, collecting 550 units, Niebuhr said. Students can make appointments online for the drive by simply logging on to givebloodgivelife.org and each 15-minute time slot has room for three donors, Niebuhr said

Appointments will not be an inconvenience to walk-in donors, Andrea Thede, RHA adviser, said. There are only three slots per 15 minutes and walk-in students can plan on being there for about one hour for a donation.

“We also are very happy to have national representatives coming in from the Red Cross,” Thede said. “This is a very prestigious opportunity for UW-P.”

Thede and Niebuhr both encourage students to get out and do their part to help with the blood drive.

The only basic restrictions for donors is that they need to be in good health and must weigh at least 110 pounds to participate.

According to the American Red Cross’s Web site, givebloodgivelife.org, some tips for being a good donor include: getting a good night’s sleep, eating before donating, drinking extra fluids before and after donating and avoiding fatty foods.

After donation it is important to avoid strenuous activities, and if you do not feel well, contact the Red Cross immediately.

“Taking part in the blood drive is something that every student should do if they can,” senior criminal justice major Codey Bratz said. “It can help a lot of people.”