“Hokies vs Hoos” is a collaboration between the alumni groups from Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia in the metro Richmond area. The goal of this partnership is to utilize the rivalry between these two universities, alumni, families, and friends to benefit several local charities. Both schools will work closely to promote service in the spirit of competition, and, of course, to claim bragging rights!

Their latest competition is to see which team can convince the most people to become members of the National Marrow Donor Program registry. Every day thousands of patients who need a life-saving transplant search for a donor. Only 30 percent will find a suitable donor within their family. The remaining 70 percent must find an unrelated donor whose tissue type matches theirs. When you become a marrow donor, you join the global movement of more than 10 million donors who stand ready to give someone a future. To learn more about being a marrow donor, visit National Marrow Donor Program

The Kick-off for the Hokies vs. Hoos bone marrow challenge is Saturday, October 20 at the Second Annual Oystoberfest in Ginter Park. The challenge will continue at various events leading up to the final challenge at the UVA vs. Tech football game in Charlottesville on Saturday, November 24.

A tax-deductible fee of $25 is required for each donor to cover the cost of tissue typing. Connor's Heroes is seeking individual and corporate sponsors to help underwrite this fee. The law firm Hirschler Fleischer started a challenge among its attorneys and raised $1500 in less than an hour. If your firm or company wants to take the challenge, click here.