Andrews, Carman and Lawson residence halls will compete by hosting blood drives in their respective lobbies from 2 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.

The “Blood Battle” got its name from the Eastern Blood Drive Committee, said Tracy Torbeck, territory manager of American Red Cross.

“It sounds gory, but it wasn’t our idea,” she said. “I figure it’s college, and if we make it a competition that’ll make it fun.”

Blood drives will be held Tuesday at Andrews and Carman halls with the Wednesday drive held at Lawson Hall.

Torbeck said any Eastern student can attend the blood drive, which is not restricted to residents of the halls.

As an added incentive for students, Papa John’s will donate pizza for the event, which is “all you can eat,” Torbeck said.

Mortar Board, a senior honors society, is sponsoring the Andrews Hall blood drive. Lambda Pi Eta and the Human Anatomy 2200 class is co-sponsoring the Carman Hall blood drive and Lambda Theta Alpha will sponsor the Lawson Hall blood drive.

Torbeck said the goal for each blood drive is 50 units and is very attainable judging from previous drives held at Eastern.

“It seems like Eastern always meets their goal,” Torbeck said. “If (Eastern) did not meet the goals, we wouldn’t come back.”

Last week, a blood drive held at the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union surpassed its 200-unit goal by 30.

Torbeck said the goals are smaller for the “Blood Battle” because the facilities are not as accommodating.

“When we go to a place like the ballroom, there is a bigger area, and we need more volunteers. It’s a lot more labor-intensive,” she said.

The blood will be circulated around the American Red Cross’s Missouri-Illinois region, which is the country’s fourth largest region and covers 130 hospitals and 120 counties. Torbeck said the region has a 1,200-unit mandate every day.

Unfortunately, the residence hall winner of the “Blood Battle” won’t receive a monetary prize, but something else,Torbeck said.

“The winners will get the prize of knowing that they saved many lives,” she said. “And I haven’t seen a blood drive where help has not been conducive.”