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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon's fifth annual Civil War Blood Drive, pitting Oregon State University against the University of Oregon in statewide competition to benefit thousands of Pacific Northwest residents, runs today through Nov. 17.

In conjunction with the statewide drive, Oregon State University will host a campus blood drive Nov. 6-9. The campus blood drive, sponsored by the OSU Blood Drive Association, will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day in the Memorial Union Ballroom. OSU's blood drive is the largest single event for the Red Cross in the Pacific Northwest Region. Appointments for the campus drive can be made at www.givelife.org.

Everyone has the opportunity to donate blood on behalf of their team at any blood drive across the state, as well as in Vancouver, Wash., and Longview, Wash. The friendly competition is held leading up to the annual Civil War football game between the Oregon State University Beavers and the University of Oregon Ducks and is focused on increasing blood donations as well as raising awareness of the constant need for blood in the region.

"We are proud of the contributions of our students and alumni to their communities. The Civil War Blood Drive provides a perfect opportunity to demonstrate this commitment in a tangible way," said Jeff Todd, executive director of the OSU Alumni Association.

The UO Ducks won the first year of the blood drive competition, while the OSU Beavers won in the last three years.

Last year, 2,673 Beaver fans and 2,220 Oregon fans participated for a total of 4,893 participants. The tally is the actual count for all participants, including those who attended a blood drive and were deferred.

The event is sponsored by the American Red Cross, Lane Memorial Blood Bank, the OSU Alumni Association and the University of Oregon Alumni Association. Donors can call 800-448-3543 to schedule a donation at a mobile drive or fixed donation site, or in Lane County, 541-484-9111.

The university with the most donors by Nov. 17 will be honored as the "Civil War Blood Drive Champion" at the Civil War Football game on Nov. 24 at Reser Stadium in Corvallis. All blood drive participants can enter to win two tickets to the Civil War game.

For information, go to http://civilwarblooddrive.com.