City of Columbus and Bartholomew County public safety agencies will engage in a friendly “Battle of the Badges” blood drive to collect lifesaving blood for area hospitals, boosting the much needed supply available for emergencies, surgeries, cancer treatments and chronic illness management.
The winning agency will be crowned based on the number of donors who give blood in the name of one of the participating public safety agencies. The winning agency will also provide a pre-selected nonprofit organization with a monetary donation through the Versiti Blood Center’s “Our Mission to Yours” program.
The Versiti Blood Center blood drive will be held in the Community First Hub at Nexus Park, 2380 25th St. on Friday, Dec. 5, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. and will feature six agencies all vying for the crown as winner of the agency with the most blood donors.
Agencies participating in the blood drive are the Columbus Police Department, Columbus Fire Department, Columbus Regional Health Ambulance Service, Bartholomew County 911 Dispatch Center, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office and the Bartholomew County Emergency Management Agency. These organizations are asking for the community’s help by requesting community members to donate blood in the name of one of the six agencies. At the conclusion of the drive, the agency with the most donors will be named the winner. The winning agency will also share a monetary donation with the local nonprofit organization that they elected to support.
Columbus Fire Department Public Information Officer, Capt. Mike Wilson, said that the support for the blood drive between each agency involved, Nexus Park and Versiti Blood Center, has been strong. Wilson added that the spirit of competition has led to some “friendly dialogue” between agencies as to who will have the most donors. Wilson said that the ultimate goal is to get donors to come out and give blood. “For each department participating in this blood drive, our collective work provides a real appreciation for the value of a robust blood supply for those in need. The real winner of this battle will be those who receive the blood needed to save a life, said Wilson. Versiti Blood Center cites that only 5% of those who are eligible to donate blood do so.
During the drive, each competing agency will have an information table, sharing services each agency provides within the community. Versiti Blood Center is planning a kid’s activity area and will provide snacks and encourages families to participate. Donors will also have the opportunity to share a message on why they choose to donate blood. Versiti Blood Center will also be providing a thank-you gift to donors in attendance.
Those who wish to donate are asked to visit the Versiti Blood Center website, Versiti.org, and register online. Walk-ins will be permitted based on availability and pre-registration is highly encouraged.
