31 August 2006

CLARE: The Clare Fire Department recruited the most blood donors for the August 25 “Battle of the Badges” blood drive, but the community blood supply was the real winner of the good-nature competition that  pitted the Clare Fire Department against the Clare Police Department.

Fifteen people designated their blood donations to support the Clare Fire Department’s tally for the Battle, which garnered a total of 28 pints of blood, including 11 from first-time donors. Each donated pint of blood, when separated into components, can help as many as three to four people.

“One of the goals for this drive was to recruit new donors from the community,” said Carol Wackerly, donor recruiter for Michigan Community Blood Centers, which hosted the drive aboard its mobile donation station, the Blood Bus. “Some new donors came because they had learned about the drive ahead of time from the article that ran in the newspaper. Others stopped in because they saw the Blood Bus parked at the Fire Department. Whatever the reason they came in, we were glad to see them all – and for the sake of the community blood supply, we hope they all will continue to donate regularly.”

The “Battle” between the two public safety agencies was the first of its kind in Clare and making it an annual event may be considered, according to Wackerly. Clare Police Chief Dwayne Miedzianowski and Clare Fire Chief Kent Randall co-chaired the special drive. The Clare Fire Department will receive a traveling trophy to keep and display until/if they are bested in a future blood drive competition.

© Michigan Community Blood Centers