A friendly rivalry between the Churchill County Sheriff's Office and the Fallon Police Department helped replenish Northern Nevada's blood supply after local law enforcement personnel and community members donated 141 units during the annual Battle of the Badges blood drive July 21-22, answering the call during the region's most significant Type O blood shortage in two years.
The drive collected 141 units during the two-day event, just shy of its 150-unit goal, with law enforcement officers, their families, friends, and community supporters donating on behalf of one of the two agencies. The Churchill County Sheriff's Office claimed this year's Battle of the Badges title after receiving the most supporter stickers, but Vitalant officials said the real victory was the impact those donations will continue to have for patients across Northern Nevada and Eastern California.
Behind the scenes, a small army of supporters made it all happen, including Vitalant, the City of Fallon, and Shannon Perez with her Ladies Behind the Badge. The group has been the quiet backbone of the event for years, helping save lives through friendly rivalry and fun.
"It's a communitywide effort," said Scott Kelley, Vitalant account manager. "Everybody coming together to get 141 units. Those units will save lives and impact lives, and most of those units go right back to local hospitals."
Vitalant, Northern Nevada's only blood bank, supplies blood to hospitals throughout Northern Nevada and Eastern California. Kelley said the organization is experiencing its most severe Type O blood shortage in two years.
Type O blood is especially critical because it is the universal blood type used in emergencies when doctors do not have time to determine a patient's blood type. Kelley said donations traditionally decline during the summer because high school and college blood drives pause while demand often increases with more accidents and trauma cases.
"That's why Battle of the Badges and other summer blood drives are so critical," Kelley said.
Among those answering the call was Churchill County School District employee Mathew Kaiser, who donated on behalf of the Fallon Police Department.
He said he grew up down the street from Frank and Debra Shyne and became childhood friends with their sons, Joe and Dan. He dedicated his blood donation to the Fallon Police Department in honor of the Shyne family's longtime dedication to law enforcement and service to the City of Fallon and Churchill County.
The 34-year-old, who has B-negative blood, said he had not donated since high school.
"It's been too long," he said.
He described donating blood as "a vital thing" because hospitals rely on a steady blood supply for patients who need transfusions.
Community members who missed the July 21-22 drive will have another opportunity to donate Aug. 11 during a Vitalant community blood drive hosted by Banner Churchill Community Hospital from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, although appointments are encouraged.
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