Ice Bears Blood Drive

While a couple of the Ice Bears worked to get healthy, their teammates donated blood to help save the lives of medical patients needing transfusions.

On Monday, the team encouraged hockey fans to help Knoxville's Medic Regional Blood Center replenish its blood supply. "You just always want to help out a good cause and everything,”Derek Pallardy, Ice Bears forward said, ”you know we leave a little blood on the ice sometimes, so if we can do it, everyone else can."

Medic serves 29 hospitals located in 21 counties here in East Tennessee - the center needs all types of blood - but right now, it especially needs O positive and O negative types. "It's something everybody needs, and it's something everybody can do really." Mike Strange, one of Monday's blood donors said. "I'll be glad to participate in anything with the Ice Bears, except play hockey."

Everyone who donated blood on Monday received a specialty Ice Bears t-shirt and a flex ticket good for any Ice Bears home game. "A lot of good people have been showing up, coming to support the cause and just help donate blood,” Clay Lewis, Ice Bears defenseman said, ”people helping people any way they can, it's always a good thing."