For many blood donors this week, a fear of needles took a back seat to a bigger cause.

The annual Greek Week Blood Drive began Monday and lasted until Wednesday at the Preston Center.

The event was a competition during Western’s Greek Week.

A flat-screen TV will be given to the fraternity and sorority that donated the most blood.

But that wasn’t why some Greeks wanted to give blood.

Louisville freshman Billy Moore, a member of FarmHouse fraternity, said his grandmother is in the hospital, which made him think about the importance of giving blood.

If I ever needed blood, I’d want someone to donate for me,” he said. “It’s the least I could do to help.”

Moore, along with many other students, was giving blood for the first time.

Louisville freshman Sarah Pope, a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority and first time donor, said she’s terrified of needles. “But I wanted to do something that could help save a life,” she said. “It’s something everyone should do.”

Louisville freshman Stephanie Romano, also a member of the ADPis, was also donating blood for the first time.

“It’s really important to help people out when they need it,” she said just before giving blood. “I’m nervous, but I’m just going to suck it up.”

Bowling Green sophomore Joseph Martin said he was donating to help his girlfriend’s sorority for the competition, but he was happy that his blood could help save three to five lives.

To give blood, students had to first read through an eligibility list to determine if they could donate, said Brittany Durham, donor recruitment representative for the American Red Cross.

Donors then filled out their health history, where they were checked for anemia. Their blood pressure was taken to determine if their levels were adequate for donating, Durham said.

The donated blood will be distributed to several hospitals in the surrounding area, she said.

Durham said she hasn’t donated in past years, but was planning on doing so this year.

“It’s such a big drive, and I just wanted to help beat last year’s results,” she said.

Last year’s drive produced 1,260 pints of blood.

Durham said the Greek organizations were recruiting students to donate blood because it’s a competition.

“That’s been helping our numbers tremendously,” she said.

Winners and the amount of blood donated will be announced on Sunday, said Poole junior La Darra Starkey, who ran one of the tables at the blood drive.