It’s Halloween in the Brickyard. An unidentifiable student walks by wearing a dog mask, and others amble by, chatting about costumes and plans for the evening.

At the edge of the bricks, student blood donors scrawl their signatures on a brightly-colored banner strung between two Rex Blood Services bloodmobiles.

It’s National Dracula Day, and professor Ron Campbell is animated as he encourages the students passing by to give blood and participate in the drive — the first of its kind.

Campbell said he has donated 25 gallons of blood in his lifetime. He said he lost a friend to leukemia, and in his 10 years as a professor of agricultural business law, he has encouraged students to give regularly.

So he came up with the idea to do a Dracula-themed blood drive on Halloween and enlisted the help of 14 colleges and universities — including local schools like Catawba College, as well as national partners like South Dakota State University and Portland State University.

With the drive at maximum participation, Campbell said the 144 scheduled donors provided blood for 528 premature babies in Wake County hospitals.

He said the day is a chance for college students to “make an impression” by donating.

Kevin Langdon, a sophomore in agricultural and environmental technology, was one such student.

A first-time blood donor, Langdon said he was a little nervous. But for Langdon, the cause was more important than his nerves.

“I’m trying to give blood for people who need it,” he said.

Kelly Higgins, a senior in polymer and color chemistry, participated in the blood drive spontaneously.

She said the “big bus and the guilt trip” drew her to the event. But, for Higgins, giving blood is not easy. She said she has passed out during prior blood donations, and though she said that deterred her, she added it shouldn’t be an excuse.

“There’s such a need [for blood donations],” Higgins said.

However, she was unable to donate because of her low iron levels.

Antonio Gonzalez, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, also described himself as a “spontaneous donor.”

He said he hadn’t donated blood in a long time and liked the drive’s Dracula theme.

Gonzalez said he would “definitely” participate in the drive again next year.

And that’s what Campbell said he hopes for. Campbell said he aims to have 1,000 schools participate next year, and the banner — which he calls “the scroll of honor” — will commemorate donors from the first event and from drives to come. Halloween event draws donors to the Brickyard

Maggie LuckadooFeatures Editor

It’s Halloween in the Brickyard. An unidentifiable student walks by wearing a dog mask, and others amble by, chatting about costumes and plans for the evening.

At the edge of the bricks, student blood donors scrawl their signatures on a brightly-colored banner strung between two Rex Blood Services bloodmobiles.

It’s National Dracula Day, and professor Ron Campbell is animated as he encourages the students passing by to give blood and participate in the drive — the first of its kind.

Campbell said he has donated 25 gallons of blood in his lifetime. He said he lost a friend to leukemia, and in his 10 years as a professor of agricultural business law, he has encouraged students to give regularly.

So he came up with the idea to do a Dracula-themed blood drive on Halloween and enlisted the help of 14 colleges and universities — including local schools like Catawba College, as well as national partners like South Dakota State University and Portland State University.

With the drive at maximum participation, Campbell said the 144 scheduled donors provided blood for 528 premature newborns in Wake County hospitals.

He said the day is a chance for college students to “make an impression” by donating.

Kevin Langdon, a sophomore in agricultural and environmental technology, was one such student.

A first-time blood donor, Langdon said he was a little nervous. But for Langdon, the cause was more important than his nerves.

“I’m trying to give blood for people who need it,” he said.

Kelly Higgins, a senior in polymer and color chemistry, participated in the blood drive spontaneously.

She said the “big bus and the guilt trip” drew her to the event. But, for Higgins, giving blood is not easy. She said she has passed out during prior blood donations, and though she said that deterred her, she added it shouldn’t be an excuse.

“There’s such a need [for blood donations],” Higgins said.

However, she was unable to donate because of her low iron levels.

Antonio Gonzalez, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, also described himself as a “spontaneous donor.”

He said he hadn’t donated blood in a long time and liked the drive’s Dracula theme.

Gonzalez said he would “definitely” participate in the drive again next year.

And that’s what Campbell said he hopes for. Campbell said he aims to have 1,000 schools participate next year, and the banner — which he calls “the scroll of honor” — will commemorate donors from the first event and from drives to come.