West Virginia University and Marshall are rolling up their collective sleeves this week and next in a joint blood drive for the American Red Cross that will benefit residents in all 55 counties in the Mountain State.

Drives in Morgantown will be from 1-7 p.m. Friday (Jan. 19) in the Mountainlair Ballrooms on the Downtown Campus; and from 1-7 p.m. Monday (Jan. 23) in the Erickson Alumni Center on the Evansdale Campus.

WVU s drives will coincide with drives on the Marshall campus in Huntington.

While the event is being billed as achallengeevent between the two schools, Red Cross officials say in reality that its more of a joint exercise inconsistent caringbetween two schools that are known for reaching out in their respective communities.

We can always count on WVU and Marshall,said Jodi Gallo, a health and safety director with Red Crosss Morgantown-based River Valley Chapter.Just one person donating one pint of blood can save up to three lives in a medical emergency.

And the benefits go beyond that, Gallo said, since Morgantown and Huntington are both major medical hubs for their residents.

Think about cancer patients and others who need blood platelets and other byproducts to survive the rigors of their treatment,she said.

Gallo is hoping for 70-100 units a day for the two-day drive, she said.

I think we can do that,she said.

Morgantown and Huntington-area businesses including Starbucks, Papa Johns and Carmike Cinemas will offer free food, T-shirts, blankets and other giveaways during the drive.

Donors may walk in or schedule their appointments online atwww.givelife.org.

The drive takes on special meaning following a devasatating fire in downtown Huntington over the weekend.

For more information, contact Angie Johnson, Red Cross donor site coordinator for Morgantown, at 304-598-0732, ext. 104.