Vampire Diaries seeking blood of high school students

Sometime before its Sept. 10 series premiere, the CW's Virginia-set show "The Vampire Diaries" will launch a five-week promo tour hosting swag-filled blood drives at various high schools and colleges around the country.

The CW and Alloy Media + Marketing have actually teamed with the American Red Cross for the campaign "Starve a Vampire. Donate Blood." So far, the initiative is scheduled to visit 230 high schools with the goal of collecting at least 3,400 blood donations.

"This is a great opportunity to engage the younger members of our communities in blood donation activities at participating high school and college campuses across the country - something they can 'sink their teeth into,'" quips Stephanie Millian, director of biomedical communications for the American Red Cross.

Of course, the blood drives will come stocked with CW materials that advertise the show's 8 p.m. Sept. 10 premiere. Each location will feature themed "The Vampire Diaries" refreshment areas where students can chow down on special snacks. Exclusive clips from the show will be featured on TV monitors around the area, and everyone who participates in the blood drives will walk away with special promotional swag, including customized t-shirts.

In addition, The CW and the American Red Cross will produce a public service announcement, promoting the need for blood donations that will feature the show's cast.

The series from executive producers Kevin Williamson ("Dawson's Creek") and Julie Plec centers on 150-year-old vampire Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) and his quest to live peacefully among humans while courting his high school classmate Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev), who is also the object of desire for Stefan's evil vampire brother, Damon (Ian Somerhalder).