ROCKFORD, MI (January 11, 2008): Out of 7 Rockford area banks that partnered with Michigan Community Blood Centers to present a blood donation campaign that spanned the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, ChoiceOne Bank, 6795 Courtland Dr. NE, has emerged the winner of the First Annual Rockford Area Bank Blood Challenge.

To take top honors in the friendly competition, ChoiceOne recruited blood donors equaling 143% of its employee census at the Courtland Drive branch for its January 4 blood drive. Everyone who gave blood at that winning drive will receive a commemorative T-shirt from Michigan Community Blood Centers, and ChoiceOne also will receive a special plaque. The drive was organized by Linda Anderson, branch manager and assistant vice president. It was one of the final two drives during the 3-week Challenge, which ran December 14 through January 4.

Other Bank Blood Challenge participants included Rockford Community Federal Credit Union, Chemical Bank, United Bank of Michigan, Huntington National Bank, Macatawa Bank, and Fifth Third Bank. Together, they recruited a total of 49 blood donors (including 10 first-time donors) to help boost the holiday season blood supply. Each pint of blood, separated into components (red cells, plasma, platelets) can help up to three people.

“The holidays are a particularly hard time to avoid blood shortages, making every drop collected this time of year especially precious,” said Kona Kenny, Michigan Community Blood Centers recruiter. “We congratulate ChoiceOne on their first-place finish and we are grateful to all the banks that took part.”

A nonprofit blood bank, Michigan Community Blood Centers provides more than 100,000 units of blood each year in supplying 100 percent of the regular blood supply for hospitals in four major regions of the state (combined pop.1.5 million). A member of America’s Blood Centers, the largest provider of blood and blood-related services for the US and Canada, Michigan Community Blood Centers also responds to blood needs beyond the local community, including military and disaster-related calls for blood.

© Michigan Community Blood Centers