Breckenridge Rotary Club’s annual Battle of the Badges Blood Drive scheduled for June 5-6
By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
The annual Battle of the Badges Blood Drive, hosted by the Breckenridge Rotary Club, is scheduled for Thursday, June 5, and Friday, June 6, and this year’s event includes a new competitor: Sacred Cross EMS.
Colleen Horan with Carter BloodCare was in Breckenridge last week to talk about the upcoming Battle of the Badges Blood Drive. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The two-day blood drive will allow those who donate blood to vote for the Breckenridge Police Department, the Breckenridge Fire Department, the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office or Sacred Cross. The winner gets bragging rights for the next year.
The Rotary Club hosts the event each year with Carter BloodCare, a non-profit blood bank serving North, Central and East Texas.
Colleen Horan with Carter BloodCare attended last week’s Rotary Club meeting to talk to the members and guests in attendance about blood drive.
The Battle of the Badges Blood Drive will take place on the following schedule:
- Thursday, June 5, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Texas State Technical College, 307 N. Breckenridge Ave., room 103
- Friday, June 6, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Stephens Memorial Hospital/Breckenridge Medical Center, 101 S. Hartford St., Carter BloodCare Mobile Drive Bus
Click here to register for a donation time.
Horan talked about the need for blood for various reasons. Carter BloodCare provides blood to more than 200 hospitals in the north Texas area, including Breckenridge. The Battle of the Badges blood drives were created to make up for the drop off in blood donations during the summer, since schools are not in session. About 25 percent of the blood donations come from blood drives at schools.
She also explained that although type O-negative is the “universal donor,” meaning that type-O blood can be given to anyone of any blood type, only about 7 percent of the population has type-O blood. To encourage type-O donors, Carter BloodCare has introduced The O Negative Effect program for 2025: O negative donors will receive a $50 e-gift card for each whole blood donation in 2025. Click here to read more about the program.
Horan said that, of course, all blood types are welcomed to donate, especially during the upcoming Battle of the Badges, and vote for their favorite first responders group. Everyone who donates will receive a Battle of the Badges t-shirt, while supplies last.
For more information about the upcoming Battle of the Badges Blood Drive, contact Les or Sherry Strickland at lesstrickland23@gmail.com.
Cutline, top photo: Joining Carter BloodCare’s Colleen Horan for the Battle of the Badges kickoff at the Breckenridge Rotary Club meeting last week were, from left, Jay Walker, Breckenridge Police Department; Dustin Wright, Sacred Cross EMS; Christi Tidrow, Breckenridge Fire Department; Colleen Horan; Malcolm Bufkin and Wesley Turner, Breckenridge Fire Department; Scott Clasby, Sacred Cross; and Justin Rose, Stephens County Sheriff’s Office. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
