The Rock River Valley Blood Center announced today the Rockford Police and Fire Departments, in collaboration with the City of Rockford, will face off in a five-day Battle of the Badges Blood Drive July 10 – 14 at the Downtown Donor Center, 418 N. Longwood Street, Rockford, IL 61107, and Perryville Donor Center, 3065 North Perryville Road, Rockford, IL 61114.

A mobile blood drive also will be held as a part of the Battle of the Badges Blood Drive on July 14 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the City of Rockford Wellness Center, 120 N. 3rd St. Rockford, IL 61107.

The departments and city leaders invite the community to donate blood to help save lives. All donors will receive a free t-shirt while supplies last during the five-day face off.

“We are excited to partner with the Rockford Fire and Police Departments, as well as the City of Rockford, to host the annual Battle of the Badges blood drive,” said Lisa Entrikin, CEO at the Rock River Valley Blood Center. “We are thankful for the departments’ help in supporting our local hospitals and those in need of blood. The summer season is especially challenging for blood collection as people are traveling, so we encourage community members to come out and help up stock our shelves and save lives.”

Donors will be asked to donate on behalf of the Rockford Fire Department or Rockford Police Department. The department with the most donors will win a trophy and bragging rights at an award presentation on July 14.

Donating blood is simple. After registering, a donor care specialist will take an individual’s vitals (temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and hemoglobin), and each person must complete an eligibility questionnaire. Once complete, donors can sit back and relax while giving. The donation itself only lasts about 10 minutes. Refreshments await after donating.

First-time donors should bring a photo ID. Individuals can donate a single unit (whole blood donation, the most common type) every 56 days. Students can donate once they turn 16 years of age and must have signed parental consent.

To schedule a donation, visit rrvbc.org, call 815-965-8751 or use the myRRVBC app.