Friday, November 7, 2008
Blood Drive attracts record
number of students
Over 150 donors show up in McGarvey
to help beat Gannon University's
September turnout of 134
By Connor Sattely
managing editor
cisso6o@psu.edu
"You guys completely blew
Gannon out of the water," said
Central Blood Bank worker
Deanna Renaud. A blood drive
worker for three years, Renaud
said that the drive at Behrend on
Nov. 6 was one of the biggest she
had ever seen.
The event was held in
McGarvey Commons and lasted
from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., though
the coordinators closed the doors
an hour early due to the over
whelming turnout. "Last year,"
one drive worker said, "I'm pret
ty sure we didn't turn anyone
Sophomore Mark Towner
donates blood on Thursday in
McGarv'er• Commons.
Clinton, Romney
By Matthew Schwabenbauer
and Rachel Reeves
news editor and editor in chief
mjss3s7 psu.edu
rersos7o?' isu.edu
Former democratic president
Bill Clinton campaigned for presi
dent-elect Barack Obama in Erie
on Monday, Nov. 3, hoping to
sway some undecided voters just
hours before election day. The
rally was held at McDowell
Intermediate High School for a
crowd of about 2,000.
Clinton thanked Erie residents
for their support of him during his
successful presidential campaigns
in the 19905, and thanked
Pennsylvania for their support of
Hillary Clinton in the Democratic
primaries.
"We're doing this 'cause Hillary
ran for President not for a job,"
said Clinton, "but to change our
country, and Barack Obama can
change our country."
Clinton claimed the faltering
economy was the reason to vote
for Obama. He said that no matter
your political affilitations, Obama
was the right candidate for the job.
"This isn't about liberal or con
servative," said Clinton. "This is
about whether or not we're gonna
solve our problems. We have seri
ous, serious, conditions. The econ
omy is a mess, and we have to
restore America's standing in the
world for peace ar.d freedom."
The event was populated by stu
dents of local high schools and
colleges, and adult Erie residents.
"I thought he touched on a lot of
good points," said Behrend sopho
more Josh Wittmershaus. "I saw
him at Behrend when he supported
Hillary, but now he's looking out
for the greater good."
Clinton closed by reiterating
away. This year was a much,
much bigger turnout. -
Carly Smith, a Behrend sopho
more in her first year of helping
at the drive, said that for the
majority of the day, there was a
huge wait list. "I got here at
1:30, - she said, "and it's been
crazy ever since. We've had a
page and a half of a wait list, at
least, since I started. -
Renaud, the mobile drive coor
dinator, said that she was thrilled
at how Behrend responded. "It
was a full campus effort," she
said. She cited several clubs and
organizations that pledged full
support to the blood drive, and
teachers that made announce
ments in their classes. "Health
and Wellness deserves a ton of
credit as well. They gave a lot of
effort.-
"Another reason for the huge
turnout," said Renaud, "was
probably the competition
between Behrend and Gannon.
Posters around the school posed a
challenge to Behrend students to
beat Gannon's total of donated
units of blood."
Whether the donations came
out of the spirit of simply giving
or out of pure competition,
Renaud knows that the true win
ners are those that will need
blood in Erie. "This will be a
huge help going into
Thanksgiving, - she said. "We
were at about half stock, and this
will boost us up a lot. -
Many first-time blood donors
attended, enduring fear of nee
dles in order to donate their
much-needed blood. Demi
Winger, a Behrend freshman,
stayed in McGarvey for over
three hours. "The wait was pretty
KEEGAN McGREGOR/Theßehrendßeacon
Former President Bill Clinton campaigned in Erie for Barack Obama on Monday.
Obama's promise of change.
I want to give people this simple
message: we need to change," the
President said. "Barack Obama
has the ability to turn good inten
tions into positive changes."
In a bout of last minute cam
paigning, former Massachusetts
Governor Mitt Romney made a
stop in Erie to stump for John
McCain, Sarah Palin, and Phil
English.
The Erie County Republican
Party headquarters were packed to
maximum capacity with 150 peo
ple hoping to a catch a glimpse of
the politician. Romney arrived just
a few minutes before 3:00 p.m. on
Nov. 3, the day before Election
Day, and spoke for about ten min
utes.
Romney was relaxed with the
crowd, laughing and cracking a
few jokes about Obama before
launching into his speech. "This
election really, really counts," said
Romney. He mentioned a poll con
ducted by Fox News showing that
CAMPUS NEWS
long, but it was worth it."
Winger, who has had several
blood tests taken before, said that
she wasn't afraid of needles, but
still spent some time sitting down
afterward. think I almost
passed out," she said. "But I'm
okay." Donors were provided
free snacks and drinks; most
spent a few minutes relaxing at
tables and eating after their dona-
Faculty also showed up to
make donations. Sarah Bennett, a
"We've had a
page and a half of
a wait list, at
least, since I
started."
- Carly Smith
Sophomore
lecturer in biology at Behrend,
said that it was also her first time
donating blood. "It wasn't that
bad," she said. "I was a little
woozy, but it was painless.
Exactly what I had expected. -
Rather than competition,
Bennett cited the blood bank's
need as her reason for donating.
"I know that blood banks are
pretty low right now. I have
blood to give, I'm healthy, so I
might as well."
Also, said Bennett, another
benefit of the event was that kids
could take the time to relax.
"Most students are really, really
busy. It's good to just take some
time to relax."
The Central Blood Bank plans
to return to Behrend for another
blood drive in the Spring.
the race was tightening dramati
cally in the swing states. Romney
even predicted that the race would
be "so close, it can't be decided by
the Electoral College." He urged
people to get out to the polls the
next day.
Romney mentioned his long
time connection to Erie through
his father's shipbuilding business.
He promised that McCain would
strengthen jobs and manufacturing
in Erie if selected President.
"Manufacturing has a place in
America," said Romney to loud
cheers. In contrast, Romney said
that Obama's plan would kill jobs
in Erie and throughout the entire
country. "If you want the economy
to grow, you don't raise taxes on
anyone."
Romney said that due to
McCain's experience, he was
America's best choice for positive
change. "Experience does make a
difference," he said. "Let's get out
there and fight for John McCain."
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Former Governor Mitt Romney campaigned in Erie for .S'enator John McCain
Students vote in Presidential election
continued from front page.
Students who registered at
their on-campus address were
assigned to vote at the
Harborcreek Township 4th dis
trict precinct, which, along with
the sth district, voted at the fire
hall.
Students who rode the shuttle
found short lines. They cast their
ballots through direct-recording
electronic voting machines, a
common replacement for the
older lever voting machines of
years past.
Other students could not take
the shuttle as their registered
polling place was determined by
their home address, not their
college residence.
Jon Klein, a 21-year old sen
ior majoring in mechanical engi
neering, drove over 400 miles
on Election Day to cast his bal-
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www. jamesprope
lot. He was registered at his
home in Moon Township, just
northwest of Pittsburgh.
Klein felt compelled to make
the long car drive due to his
inability to cast a ballot in 2004.
Born in November, Klien was
just under 18 four years ago
when President George W. Bush
was re-elected.
Klein voted for President
elect Barack Obama.
"It is a put up or shut up kind
of a thing," says Klein. "If you
didn't vote, you don't have a
chance to complain about it."
After his first two hour drive,
Klein says he stood in line to
vote for over half an hour. He
took the rest of his day to pick
up essentials from home and
visit family before driving hack
to Behrend.
When he arrived back on
campus, students inside Brurio
The Behrend Beacon I
ies.com
were still cm2ioled \\ ith CNN's
election result,. \\ hiding down
',lila a long evening Of poll num
bers and "calls - tor states.
The College Republicans.
College Denioci at,. the Political
Science Societ other
Behrend organilations held a
discussion panel :Ind asked pres
idential election irk is questions
through the king night. (her
thirty students participated v,ith
the e% cut
Chris Alphen. the Vice
President of the College
Democrats and moderator of the
panel of politiLid science stu
dents. called the e\ening a
"great night. - sa)ing that "Penn
State BeMend should he doing
more le\ entsl like this. College
is a great place I() es, press opin
ions \‘ith pcople
There is no time better than
now. - Alplicn