Just in time for Halloween, Transportation Services is partnering with LifeStream Blood Bank to bring back their Donations for Citations Program on Oct. 28 and 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Donors will receive full credit toward a parking violation up to $75 for every pint donated. This program not only offers UCR students, faculty and staff an alternative to paying their citation fee, but it also presents an opportunity to provide lifesaving blood products for a non-profit organization that serves more than 80 Southern California hospitals and medical facilities.
According to Transportation Services, there has been an unusually high number of citations in the fall quarter as people are new to campus and are not familiar with the parking rules.
The program is available to any one that can donate blood. Donors have the option to pay off their own citation, credit the donation to a friend or credit a donation to a random citation that will be distributed through a raffle. Participants can also donate blood at any official blood bank between Oct. 23 and 31 and take the receipt to them by Nov. 1 to receive credit.
“In my experience, parking citations are often distributed on a whim, and when you try to appeal a citation, Transportation Services can be very unforgiving,” states fourth-year biology major, Jasmine Nguyen, who has been using UCR parking spaces in order to participate in on-campus activities for about a year before COVID. “However, I think it’s a very good program and it gives UCR students an opportunity to pay off at least one of their citations. I think that Transportation Services can do more by allowing people to exchange community service hours to receive credit to pay off citations.”
LifeStream Blood Bank is a local, nonprofit blood bank that serves more than 80 Southern California hospitals and medical facilities in six counties. In order to ensure the health and wellness of the community, LifeStream provides each blood donor a mini physical prior to the donation and information on maintaining a healthy diet. All blood donors are required to be at least 15 years old, weigh at least 115 pounds for donors ages 15-18, be in general good health, free of infection or illness, not at risk of Hepatitis or AIDS and are required to wear a face covering during the appointment due to COVID restrictions. Blood donations are expected to take about an hour so participants are advised to schedule their appointment accordingly.
UCR students, faculty and staff can schedule their blood donation appointment at lstream.org/UCRTAPS.
