Tania Alonso said she loves Edward Cullen so much she's giving up a pint of blood just to see him from a better view.
Alonso, a self-described "Twilight" fanatic, is donating her blood in a drive held by LifeSouth Community Blood Centers before the release of "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.
LifeSouth decided to have a drive for the third installment in the "Twilight" series, "Eclipse," after a successful drive for the series' second film, "New Moon."
Clay Gibbons, district community development coordinator for LifeSouth, said the success of its last vampire-themed drive was huge. He hopes to duplicate the success of that drive.
In exchange for a pint of blood, donors with tickets to "Eclipse" will receive a "Team Edward" or "Team Jacob" shirt, will get to skip the line to the movie and will have reserved VIP seating to see the movie.
Gibbons said people should donate early because reserved seating is limited.
The drive will be held today from 6 p.m. to midnight in the Regal Butler Plaza Cinemas 14 parking lot, 3101 SW 35th Blvd., where the movie will premiere. Donors will be able to choose to donate from either a Jacob bus or an Edward bus.
Edward is the film's central vampire character and Jacob is the main werewolf character.
Alonso, a 22-year-old family, youth and community sciences major at UF, said she is "Team Edward all the way," and is looking forward to her free T-shirt.
She is trying to recruit people to attend the blood drive. "It's for a good cause and you get something good out of it, as well," Alonso said.
Gibbons said it's important to support this drive because 20 to 25 percent of its donor base comes from students, and when they leave for summer break, the center loses donations.
The center especially needs O-negative donors, according to its website, lifesouth.org.
Gibbons said donating blood gives people the opportunity to save or affect the lives of others in the community.
He said the center needs about 100 donors per day. He believes 60 to 80 people will attend the drive.
Alonso said she donates because she wants to be able to help others.
"As long as I can donate," she said, "I will donate to save someone else."
To donate, you have to be 16 or older, weigh at least 110 pounds and have a photo ID. Sixteen-year-olds must bring written parental consent to donate.
