Rock River Valley Blood Center Invites the Community to
Roll Up Their Sleeves and Honor Local Heroes
Two lifesaving community blood drives to be held in January
ROCKFORD, Ill. (Jan. 7, 2025) – The Rock River Valley Blood Center (RRVBC) will host two community blood drives in January, the 5th annual Jaimie Cox Memorial Blue Blood Drive and the 26th annual Rock and Roll Up Your Sleeve, offering residents double the opportunity to give the gift of life while honoring meaningful local causes.
The 5th annual Jaimie Cox Memorial Blue Blood Drive, sponsored by C.O.P.S. (Concerns of Police Survivors) and the Jaimie Cox Foundation, will take place on Saturday, Jan. 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rockton American Legion, 221 W. Main St., Rockton.
In 2017, Rockford Police Officer Jaimie Cox was killed in the line of duty. His legacy lives on through the Jaimie Cox Foundation, established by his family and friends to support community-focused initiatives. Donors who successfully give blood at the memorial drive will receive a t-shirt, a pulled pork sandwich, and soup, while supplies last. They will also take home a certificate for a free pint of Culver’s custard.
“Community-driven blood drives like the Jaimie Cox Memorial Blood Drive are vital to ensuring a stable blood supply while honoring those who have made a lasting impact,” said Lisa Entrikin, CEO of RRVBC. “Each donation helps save three lives and strengthens our ability to serve patients across our region.”
Later in the month, RRVBC will host its 26th annual Rock and Roll Up Your Sleeve blood drive on Saturday, Jan. 17, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Anderson Toyota, 4100 N. Perryville Rd., Rockford.
As a thank-you for their lifesaving donation, donors will receive a commemorative, limited edition t-shirt while supplies last.
“The Rock and Roll Up Your Sleeve blood drive brings people together in a really special way,” Entrikin said. “Every donor who walks through the door is helping someone in our community. We’re thankful for all the first-time donors and to those who make giving back a tradition.”
Walk-ins are welcome at both events, and appointments can be scheduled online at rrvbc.org. First-time donors should bring a photo ID. Appointments are encouraged to help reduce wait times but are not required.
About Rock River Valley Blood Center
The Rock River Valley Blood Center is your community blood center and is the only provider of blood products and services to Mercyhealth’s Javon Bea Hospital-Rockton, Mercyhealth’s Javon Bea Hospital-Riverside, Mercyhealth Hospital and Trauma Center-Janesville, Mercyhealth Hospital and Medical Center-Harvard, Mercyhealth Hospital and Medical Center-Walworth, Mercyhealth Hospital and Physician Clinic-Crystal Lake, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital, UW SwedishAmerican Carbone Cancer Center, SwedishAmerican Medical Center-Belvidere, Beloit Health System, Edgerton Hospital and Health Services, FHN-Freeport and Rochelle Community Hospital. The center has four convenient donor centers in Rockford, Freeport, and Belvidere, and the ability to support up to three mobile drives a day. The Rock River Valley Blood Center ensures that the right blood type is available at the right time for local patients whose lives may depend on it. Patients and their families rely on individuals to provide life-giving red blood cells, plasma, and platelets through blood donation.
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