Sioux Falls, South Dakota: The 29th annual Heroes Behind the Badges blood drive competition in Sioux Falls provided an outstanding result with total of 1218 donations supporting our community patients. In the end it was the Sioux Falls Fire Department taking the win with 641 donation votes, and Sioux Falls Police Department collecting a total of 577 donation votes. While the winner was the Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, the real winners are community patients having blood available when it is needed most.
The blood drive event, held December 20 – January 4, was a competition between Sioux Falls Fire Rescue and the Sioux Falls Police Department to bolster the community’s blood supply throughout the holidays. During the event, donors could designate their donation to the department of their choice. Sioux Falls Fire Rescue will present a $2,000 check to the Children’s Home Society, compliments of Citibank of Sioux Falls, SD. The Sioux Falls Police Department will present a $1,500 check to the Special Olympics of South Dakota.
“It’s exciting to see such commitment from our volunteers, community sponsors, and partners as we move through this largest blood drive event of the year,” states Ken Versteeg, Executive Director, Community Blood Bank. “It’s truly an honor to be able to work with the Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, Sioux Falls Police Department, event sponsors and all of the donors that provided hope to over 3,654 local patients throughout the holidays. We continue to see a strong need for blood donations in Sioux Falls. If you missed an opportunity to donate blood with us at the Heroes Behind the Badges blood drive event, please consider joining us in January for National Blood Donor Month by logging onto cbblifeblood.org and selecting “events” for a listing of drives in the area and to schedule your donation.”
Community Blood Bank is a non-profit cooperative of Avera McKennan Hospital and Sanford Medical Center. Community Blood Bank is the sole provider of blood and blood products to 43 local hospitals, including Sanford Medical Center, Avera McKennan Hospital, Sanford Children’s Hospital, Sanford Heart Hospital, Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital, Avera Specialty Hospital, V.A. Medical Center and Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota.
Community Blood Bank is not affiliated with other blood bank organizations and takes pride in being a self-sufficient organization, thanks to the generosity of local blood donors.
