NOVEMBER 23, 2006

Nathan Gill Contributor

As the AUS regular hockey season gets underway for another year, Panther Radio is once again there to bring you all the action.

Panther Radio, is a service provided by Radio @ UPEI. Last season, Panther Radio covered every men’s hockey game, providing both a live stream (found at radio.upei.ca/ pantherradio) and a post-game podcast featuring a recap of all the action. Ryan Palmer, president pf the UPEI Independent Student Media (the parent society of Radio @ UPEI) said this service is an important part of our community.

“T believe Panther Radio is becoming increasingly valuable as UPEI students and faculty embrace these new Internet services we are delivering and find out how easy it is

CAMPUS | Panther Radio - Bringing you all the sport action -

for them to keep track of their favourite team.”

Palmer and the rest of the ISM were busy over the summer preparing for the coming year of Panther sport. This year the Panther Radio Listening Lounge, which previously featured only the live stream, has been revamped to not only bring you the coverage of the sports you love, but as well feature a live scoreboard and a comment box to send your message directly to the game staff.

His team has also made the obvious leap beyond hockey by establishing a wireless link to UPEI’s astro-turf field to send the men’s and women’s Soccer Panthers home games out to the world.

“We've got a talented group of broadcasters,” Palmer said. “And we

are very proud of the services we deliver. I can only see Panther Radio expanding further in the future.”

For a such a service to have accomplished so much in just over a year of existence, it’s encouraging to think about where Panther Radio will be in another year and beyond. Palmer hopes the service endures beyond his term at UPEI.

“It can only be positive for university pride now and in the future as curtent students become alumni and ate able to stay in touch with UPEI that little bit more after graduation.”

In order for such a service to maintain, however, the team needs to pad their pocketbook by attracting potential sponsors. Staff and infrastructure costs leave a lofty price

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It’s time to listen in: http://radio.upei.ca

tag at the end of the day for the crew. Positively, local establishments like the Charlottetown Transit, APM and the CARI Complex have given their financial support over the past year.

With their listenership consistently on the rise as well as their many advertising locations (During the game, during the post-game podcast, or on the scoreboard just to name a few) Palmer anticipates sponsors won't be particularly hard to come by.

Don’t forget to tune in to Panther Radio each weekend for either your Panther Sport fix by going to radio.upei.ca/pantherradio. You can also put the Panther Radio Scoreboard on your own website by copying the source code from upeiism.org/ getascoreboard. For more information contact upeiism@gmail.com

What’s Your Type? UPEI’s Blood Giving Effort

Kent Aitken Reporter

If 79 of 4,100 UPEI students made and kept commitments to give blood, Charlottetown would reach its annual need for blood and plasma.

“Charlottetown’s yearly goal is 6,000 units. They usually collect about 5,500,” said Allen Veale, the UPEI Donor Coordinator.

Donors can give blood once every 56 days, which means that a single person can put a dent in the shortage for blood - but also that the blood, which has a 35 day shelf life, is needed constantly. Plasma can be given every 10 days and is currently having the ever-growing demand reasonably met.

Veale has been trying to promote this deficiency of volunteers, specifically around campus. Last Thursday, November 16, Canadian Blood Services set up booths at the AVC building to attract donors and test blood types.

According to Veale, approximately 70 people filled out forms to become donors.

“PEI has a large percentage of donors,” Veale said, relating to the

Canada-wide figure of 3% of eligible donors currently giving blood. But he also makes it clear that we, like Canada as a whole, still fall significantly short. Blood donated is extremely valuable to Canadian health care. According to the Canadian Blood Services, “just one unit of blood can save up to three lives.” However, some treatments require amazing amounts - several units for some surgeries, and up to 50 units for car accidents or gunshot wounds.

The effort to get new donors makes justifying abstaining difficult. On top of the “What’s Your Type?” event, they’re trying to make it easier to give blood.

“If a group gets together on campus, Canadian Blood Services will send a taxi out to pick them up,” Veale explained.

The pamplets in his office also make a point of comparing the two seconds of pain from a needle to the weeks of pain some of the victims requiring blood go through, a humbling contrast.

In addition, Veale has set up a

challenge between the students and faculty, which we (the students) are losing terribly.

“TAs of Friday, November 10] there ate 31 students and 59 faculty and staff [donating].” In other words, less than one per cent of students and an admirable portion of the faculty and staff. Prizes have been donated including athletics gift packs, Chartrell’s coupons, bookstore gift

Photo:Melanie Bernard

Student, Annie Wagener got to find out her blood type Thursday at the What’s Your Blood Type booth that was set up in the A VC. Janice McKendrick did the procedure.

certificates and Wave gift packs. UPEI students who donate get to take part in a draw every month.

Canadian Blood Services’ Charlottetown office and clinic is located at 85 Fitzroy Street, and their website is www.bloodservices.ca. If you’re not ready to visit them yet, you can also contact Al Veale for more information at 566-0988 _ of veale@upei.ca.