Students gathered at the Hearnes Center this week to participate in the annual Homecoming Blood Drive. The drive began Monday and finished Thursday with 4,643 units of blood. That number does not represent the final total, as outside donations are still being counted.

According to the Mizzou Homecoming website, the goal of the blood drive was to collect 5,000 units of blood over the four-day drive at the Hearnes Center.

“They (5,000 units of blood) potentially can save 15,000 lives,” said Cale Roberts, an MU Homecoming Blood Committee member. “The blood collected in this drive serves about 80 hospitals in Missouri, and 5,000 units of blood we collected here will last about for a week for these hospitals.”

Last year, the drive exceeded their goal of 5,000 at 5,264 units at the Hearnes Center and satellite drives. This year the drive’s goal was 5,000 units of blood from the Hearnes Center alone, MU Homecoming Blood Committee member Maggie Omastiak said.

By Wednesday, 3,502 units of blood had been collected in the drive.

Students participating in the drive could donate for three types of organizations; a residence hall, a Greek organization and another campus organization.

“First day, we collected 1,079 (units of blood),” Omastiak said. “Second day was 1,210 (units of blood). Yesterday (Wednesday), we had collected 3,502.”

“The three categories donate for three separate competitions,” Roberts said. “For example, people in Greek organizations compete with each other and people in residence halls compete with each other.”

Participants in the drive expressed enthusiasm for donating blood.

“I think this kind of donation is great and is a great opportunity for me to help others,” said John Gable, a student who took part in the donation.

Roberts said he hopes participants in the drive “feel great” for donating.

“I just tell them that giving blood is the easiest way to help people out,” he said.