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www.redcross.org
Red Cross Blood Donor and Volunteer Featured on mtvU's "CAUSE EFFECT"
Red Cross volunteer Krysta Leigh Meizner is featured in "Cause Effect," a new multi-platform series from mtvU, MTV's
24-hour college network, profiling standout student activists on college campuses nationwide. Krysta details her passion
for blood donations on the current episode of the show, which is broadcast on mtvU and available on demand at mtvU.com
and Think.MTV.com.
Meizner is a 21-year-old college senior from North Carolina, majoring in communications at Lenior-Rhyne College in
Hickory, N.C. Krysta learned first hand about blood donation when she was a child. Her mother donated her own blood
while her grandfather was undergoing chemotherapy as treatment for leukemia, and Krysta saw how beneficial it was in
helping him have a greater chance at a longer, healthier life than he would have experienced otherwise. She currently
holds the crown of Miss Hendersonville, N.C. 2007, and has set the American Red Cross and blood donation as her
platform.
"I am honored to be a part of the American Red Cross because it's an organization filled with friendly, dedicated people
who are committed to making a difference in the world," said Meinzer. "When I became Miss Hendersonville, one of my
goals was to recruit more blood donors, but I never imagined I would have the opportunity to reach a national audience
through mtvU."
mtvU teamed up with Microsoft Corporation through the Windows Live Messenger i'm Initiative for "Cause Effect." Each
episode spotlights two remarkable students, examining how they're using digital tools to effect positive, real world
change, and inspiring others to take action and make a difference on pressing social issues.
When she was 17, Krysta began donating blood herself, and started volunteering with the local Red Cross Blood Services
region a few years later. Beyond attending blood drives, Meizner also travels to area schools, teaching students of all
ages how blood works throughout the body, and the importance of regular blood donations for patients suffering from
traumas and many diseases.
The new mtvU series is an extension of the Windows Live Messenger i'm Initiative, in which Microsoft donates a portion
of the program's advertising revenue to one of several cause-related organizations each time a user has a conversation
using the instant messaging software. The Red Cross is one of ten organizations receiving donations through this
initiative, and is guaranteed by Microsoft to receive at least $100,000.
Individuals can sign-up to support the American Red Cross through the i'm Initiative by visiting http://im.live.com
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ENDS