Record Breaking Blood Drive – Fallon PD Notches 5th Win in Battle of the Badge

The numbers are in from this year’s Battle of the Badges blood drive, and Fallon just raised the bar again.

Held last week at the Fallon Convention Center, the friendly competition between the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office and the Fallon Police Department brought out the best in the community. Neighbors, families, first responders, and volunteers packed the room, rolling up their sleeves in more ways than one.

When the final tally was counted, Fallon Police came out ahead with 88 pledges to the Sheriff’s Office’s 77, marking the department’s fifth win in the annual contest. But no one left the event thinking of it as a loss.

"We’re all on the same team when it comes to saving lives," Shannon Perez, longtime organizer, said.

This year’s turnout shattered previous records: 

• 126 donors 

• 89 whole blood donations 

• 37 Power Red donations 

• 162 total units collected

That’s enough to potentially save 486 lives, a staggering impact for two days of donations in a town our size.

Behind the scenes, a small army of supporters made it all happen, including Vitalant, the City of Fallon, and the Ladies Behind the Badge, a volunteer group that’s been the quiet backbone of the event for years.

First-time donors stood shoulder-to-shoulder with regulars, some of whom have been donating for decades. "Throughout the day, we heard incredible stories of how blood donation has made a difference, and it reminded us all exactly why we do this," Perez said.

Sheriff Richard Hickox added his appreciation, saying, "I want to thank Shannon Perez and the rest of the crew that organized, facilitated and ran such a great event this week. The Battle of the Badges Blood Drive is one of my favorite events to participate in as it makes such a huge and immediate impact in people’s lives. Thank you again and congratulations to the Fallon Police Department for the win. Thank you to all who came out and participated and supported the Sheriff's Office and the Police Department, we appreciate you and your generosity of life-saving blood."

The event continues to grow as one of Fallon’s most impactful community efforts.