It’s time again for an opportunity to save three more lives. The Baptist Student Union will host its spring blood drive from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 10 in the BSU building on Duquesne Road.

The blood one student is able to donate can be given to three recipients.

Austin Mayfield, sophomore business administration major, said the BSU did one blood drive last semester and they are doing it again this semester.

The blood drive is open to all students, faculty and staff.

The BSU is hoping for a large showing.

“We [the BSU] open up our doors,” Mayfield said. “Saving three lives with each donation is always a good thing.”

Eli Spencer, sophomore elementary education major, donated blood in the fall and said it served him well.

“Last time I gave blood, the same day I went disc golfing an hour later and I got a hole in one,” Spencer said. “It doesn’t take long and it saves three lives, so it’s worth half an hour to me.”

Mayfield said drinks and snacks will be provided.

Last semester, the American Red Cross used the Automated Blood Collection technique.

This technique allows donors to give twice the amount of blood; however, blood volume is not affected.

The blood runs through a cycle, and plasma and saline solution is returned to the blood stream.

The BSU advertised across campus for the American Red Cross Blood Drive.

“We have been chalking, announcing at the BSU, we have placed fliers everywhere – literally everywhere,” Mayfield said. “One day I walked in here [Blaine Hall] and without my knowledge there was a flier on every door in Blaine.”

Fliers were also placed in every building across campus.

BSU members help with setting up, breaking down and by providing assistant to donors.

The BSU hosts a variety of activities for students including several spring break activities.

“We are going down to disaster relief in Algiers, near New Orleans,” Mayfield said. “We are going to do a mud out there working with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). It is going to be really fun.”

The members will be shoveling mud and clearing streets.

The BSU is sending members to Mission Arlington.

“We are sending a group to Arlington, Texas, to help underprivileged kids,” Mayfield said. “We are sending a group to Denver to a church plan. All this is in spring break.”

Besides the blood drive, the BSU also hosts Noon Day Café at noon on Wednesdays.

“We feed how many people are willing to come,” Mayfield said. “We try to keep it fun for the students. We put on a lot of different activities to help keep moral up.”

This summer, groups will be going overseas to Venezuela and Cambodia.

“We’re called the BSU, but by no means do you have to be Baptist to come,” he said.

The BSU meets every Thursday at 7:02 p.m. at the BSU building on Duquesne Road.