Tiffany Asher, [email protected]
SWEETWATER COUNTY, WYOMING — The Annual 2023 Battle of the Badges Blood Drive is coming up next week. This event is proudly sponsored by WyoRadio, along with Vitalant and Aspen Mountain Medical Center. Nonprofit blood services provider Vitalant is asking all eligible donors to donate blood and meet a critical need for patients. More blood donors are especially needed in June to prevent a summer shortage. You can help by signing up to donate at the Sweetwater County Battle of the Badges blood drive and support your team.
Sandy Thomas, Senior Donor Recruitment Representative from Vitalant Blood Services, “We always stay in that category of shortage. I would say summer and winter times are our hardest times.” During the summer months, Thomas explained they have a harder time getting people in to donate than in the winter, but both season share rough times trying to keep blood in hospitals. Blood has a shelf life of 42 days.
“It’s just really important that the donors know that just because we don’t call them doesn’t mean we don’t need it. We still need the donors to donate when they are eligible. Right now we have a calling out for all donors because we’ve already hit that time. Summer has hits us hard. We are very short on hospital shelves. I would say truly that if people only want to donate one or two times a year, hit it in the winter and summer months,” Thomas explained.
Thomas mentioned that they just had a mom last week that used 32 products. After she had her baby, the mother needed a blood transfusion to stay alive. Thomas explained that it’s not really just about car accidents, but also people with heart issues, mothers having babies, and kids that also need blood. “It doesn’t have to be from something traumatic, it can also go to those with blood disordered that have to have blood every week to live.”
“A lot of other areas I work with do an event called ‘Guns and Hoses’ so it’s really pinning it against the fire and police. I would say Sweetwater County is a little different. The reason why we chose Battle of the Badges is because we want everyone to be included. The way I see it, a lot of emergency responders, they need to be included. Dispatch has come in and taken the few years and they take it very seriously. I’ve seen firefighters and police come in and vote for dispatch which is really cool. One gentleman said, ‘You know, it starts with them’.”
Sweetwater County Dispatch has won the Battle of the Badges in the last two years. “It has just grown each year.” There will be door prizes for those that donate to Battle of the Badges. All who come to donate with Vitalant in the month of June will also be automatically entered into the Vitalant Nationwide “Big $10K Giveaway” to win one of two, $10,000 prepaid gift cards.
If you wish to donate, you can donate either June 13 in Rock Springs or June 14 in Green River.
Tuesday, June 13
- Rock Springs at Bunning Freight Station
- 603 South Main, Rock Springs, WY
- Noon – 6 p.m.
Wednesday, June 14
- Green River at Green River Recreation Center
- 1775 Hitching Post Dr. Green River, WY
- Noon – 6 p.m.
Don’t forget to vote for your favorite Emergency Responder! Be sure to use sponsor code: BATTLE23 when making your appointment at donors.vitalant.org. To make an appointment visit https://vitalant.org/rsgrbattle or call 877-25-VITAL.
