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Maine Blood Center workers will probably see more LIVESTRONG bracelets than they’re accustomed to on Thursday when the University of Maine and the Jeff Cole Foundation host the first annual Jeff Cole Blood Drive at Dexter Lounge in Alfond Arena.
The blood drive, and subsequent second annual Jeff Cole Memorial Scrimmage on May 6, will honor the late UMaine assistant football coach, who passed away in October 2004 after a three-and-a-half-year battle with cancer.
Many players, coaches and friends still wear Lance Armstrong’s yellow bracelet in honor of the message Cole implored upon them, simply to “live strong.”
“The best way to celebrate someone is with something they believed in, and I know Jeff would be fired up about this,” said Cole’s wife, Andrea, who heads up the foundation.
The blood drive is sponsored by Eastern Maine Medical Center’s Blood Donor Program, an extension of the Maine Blood Center.
It will take place from 2-7 p.m., and while walk-ins are welcome, perspective donors can call Janice Clark at 581-1828 to make an appointment. All donors are required to bring photo identification.
Inspiration for the blood drive was drawn from Cole’s struggle with transitional cell carcinoma.
He needed several platelet transfusions over the course of his treatment, made possible by donations.
A few months ago, a friend of Andrea’s working with the Maine Blood Center suggested holding a blood drive in Jeff’s honor.
“She approached me about doing a blood drive in Jeff’s memory and I thought it was brilliant,” Andrea Cole said.
“Jeff would want this [because] this is something that he benefited greatly from.”
Giving blood is certainly in line with the last message Cole bestowed on his players: Make sure you give more than you get.
“Anything they can do for coach Cole is an honor because of everything he did for us. His legend lives on here and it will forever,” said receiver Arel Gordon.
The event was organized with the help of the Black Bears’ football program and was added onto the weekend of annual Jeff Cole Scrimmage.
“Last year, in recognition of Jeff’s role in our program and all that he’d done we put his name on our spring scrimmage,” said UMaine head coach Jack Cosgrove.
“It was always a favorite event of his and something he looked forward to as a coach.
“This year we said, ‘what else can we do?’ It was an idea that sprung and [is] something where we have the chance to recognize the importance of giving.”
Unfortunately, Black Bears’ players will be unable to donate because of their intense spring schedule, practicing Wednesday and Friday with the scrimmage on Saturday.
“That’s the unfortunate part, because we’re still in practice that can’t happen,” Cosgrove said. “I actually went and saw [UMaine athletics'] Dr. Curtis about it and he said there’s really no way.”
Players will be on hand helping promote the event.
The Jeff Cole Foundation recently endowed its first scholarship to a graduate of Avon High School, which Cole graduated from in 1992.
Candidates must be studying education, which was Cole’s specialty, and fittingly the first recipient plans on attending St. John Fisher College, Cole’s alma mater.
The next goal is to raise enough money to give a scholarship to support a UMaine student.
“Jeff had a major connection to UMaine; he was a Black Bear through and through,” Andrea Cole said. “Anything we can do to give back to this institution will be important.”
Andrea and the event’s organizers have received nothing but positive feedback about the blood drive.
“Everyone seems ready to go, I get e-mails and calls from people who are excited to donate and that’s awesome,” Andrea Cole said. “I just encourage people to come out and donate and be there to support the Black Bears in that final spring scrimmage.”
