Edina Police Winning 'Battle of the Badges' Blood Drive

The is currently leading the Battle of the Badges blood drive—a friendly competition among local police and fire departments to see who can donate the most blood—with 65 units of blood donated this month.

The , which saw 57 unites of whole blood and eight units of double red cells collected at . The donations gathered could save the lives of up to 179 people, according to Memorial Blood Centers.

The Edina Police Department is in first place among local polcie and fire organizations this month, with 70 overall votes. Anoka County is in second place with 43 votes, while the Minneapolis Police Department has 34.

People interested in donating to the cause can go to any Memorial Blood Center site and just mention the Edina Police Department while giving blood. 

As added incentive—if you needed it—a handful of Twin Cities restaurants are partnering with Memorial Blood Centers for its "Give a Pint, Get a Pint" promotion. Anyone who donates blood during the month of August receives a voucher for a free commemorative pint glass and a beverage to fill it.

Among the participating restaurants are , McCoy's Public House and Santorini. The full list is available on the MBC website.

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