Drain a vein for the INBC

The Inland Northwest Blood Center is getting into the Halloween spirit with a “Vein Drain” blood drive. The drive, which started Monday, continues today and Wednesday in Spokane, Spokane Valley and Coeur d’Alene.

Here’s where you can “starve a vampire” by donating some blood (and also go trick-or-treating for a “vein drain” T-shirt):

•In Spokane at the INBC headquarters, 210 W. Cataldo Ave., from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Wednesday. On Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be free grub from Pizza Rita.

•At the Spokane Valley Hospital, 12606 E. Mission Ave., from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday only, with free Pizza Rita from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

•In Coeur d’Alene at 1341 Northwood Center Court, from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. today, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday. Free pizza both days during lunchtime, courtesy of Nick-n-Willy’s Pizza.

I think I hear those vampires weeping right now.

Male body-image campaign wins award

A poster series dealing with male body image displayed around WSU’s Pullman campus last spring has just earned some national awards.

The three-week poster series was part of a campaign at Washington State University to raise awareness of eating disorders and body-image problems among young men, according to a WSU press release.

The posters won a bronze award from the National Health Information Resource Center, as well as an honorable mention from the 2007 Communicator Awards (an international contest for the communications field).

Awards in hand, WSU officials are currently studying the impact the public-awareness campaign had on its students.