The American Red Cross is holding eight blood drives in April in the third annual blood drive competition between Cornell and Dartmouth College. This year, the institution that has the greatest percentage of new donors will win the competition.

"We would like at least 500 new donors to participate this year," said Nancy Waite, recruitment manager for the Syracuse/Binghamton district of American Red Cross Blood Services. Waite said that the need for all blood types is constant. With only 4 percent of the eligible public donating blood, each pint matters, she said.

Waite advises that three days before donating blood begin drinking plenty of water and, in the hours prior to donating, eat a meal that is rich in vitamin C and iron. Donors must bring such personal identification as their Cornell ID or a driver's license.

Each drive is sponsored by a different Cornell organization:

To schedule a donation appointment, call 1-800 RED CROSS or go to: http://www.redcrossblood.org.