The Cedar Hill and Hillsboro Fire Protection districts are squaring off in the Battle of the Badges, a national promotion for the American Red Cross that pits emergency responders against each other to see who can bring in the most blood donors.
Cedar Hill Fire will host its blood drive on Friday, May 4, at the Big River VFW Post 5331, 1 Lynn Lane, in Cedar Hill, and the district is planning to make the drive as entertaining as possible, organizer Thelma Dunn said.
In addition to the drive, the VFW Post will host a fish fry with live music by Stix Douglas. The drive will begin at 3 p.m. The music and meal will begin at 4 p.m.
In addition to the music and food, the Red Cross will give away T-shirts, and blood donors will be entered in a drawing for one of three $1,000 Home Depot gift cards, Dunn said.
The drawing will include donors from other Battle of the Badges blood drives, she said.
Hillsboro Fire will hold its event from 3-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 19, at the Hillsboro Community Civic Club, 10349 Business 21.
“We’ve got to take out those guys,” Assistant Chief Brian Gaudet said.
“They are going to have their work cut out for them,” Cedar Hill Chief Mick Fischer said.
He said the competition should make the event fun and bring out more donors.
Fischer said the blood drive will be an ongoing event and probably will have a traveling trophy, adding that Cedar Hill will likely win it.
“I just want to make a statement that our community is better than Hillsboro,” Fischer joked.
Those who want to participate in the drive may call 1-800-Red Cross (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org and enter CedarVsHillsboro to schedule an appointment.