Williamson County Chamber: We Need Your Help To Save Lives Sept. 7-10 By “Remembering The Badges”

Press release from Williamson County Chamber:

September 7, 2021

We need your help to save lives Sept. 7-10 by “Remembering the Badges”

Local first responders work together to increase blood donations while honoring those who lost their lives on the 20th anniversary of 9/11

What: The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Nashville-Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, Nashville Fire Department, Brentwood Fire Department, Brentwood Police Department, Nolensville Fire Department, and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office are teaming up with the American Red Cross, Ascension Saint Thomas, and the Tennessee Titans to encourage 2,977 blood donations by Sept. 10.

When: Eligible donors are encouraged to take part in these community blood drives throughout the metro Nashville area Sept. 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Where:

Tuesday, Sept. 7:

1:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. – Nolensville Drive at Nolensville First UMC in Fellowship Hall/SC, 7316 Nolensville Road, Nolensville, TN 37135

Wednesday, Sept. 8 and Thursday, Sept. 9:

6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Brentwood Drive at Brentwood Library, 8109 Concord Way, Brentwood, TN 37027

Friday, Sept. 10:

7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Music City Drive at Cornerstone Church, 726 W Old Hickory Blvd, Madison, TN 37115

*MEDIA IS ENCOURAGE TO JOIN US AT THIS EVENT TO ENCOURAGE DONORS TO HELP US REACH OUR GOAL. Please contact Sherri McKinney with the Red Cross to find out how you can get your staff involved.

*Monday, Sept. 6-Thursday, Sept. 9:

7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. – Donors can also make appointments to donate blood at the American Red Cross donation center at 2201 Charlotte Ave, Nashville, TN 37203

Why: The annual “Battle of the Badges” blood drives in the past have created friendly competition that takes place to see which Badge can collect the most pints at their blood drive for patient care. For 2021, the state of Tennessee will be taking part in “Remembering the Badges” as first responders work collectively to strive to collect the number of pints equal to the number of lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001.

The Red Cross currently faces a critical need for blood donations as hospitals are making the tough decisions to postpone surgeries as the blood on the shelves dwindles.

Communities across the country count on the Red Cross for help every day – and supporting those communities is at the heart of its mission. Whether supplying blood products for patients in need of transfusions due to surgery, cancer treatments and trauma or collecting plasma from individuals to help treat seriously ill patients, the Red Cross mission never stops.

VISUALS:   Photo, video

WHO CAN HELP: Blood can be safely donated every 56 days and Power Reds can be donated every 112 days. Platelets can be given every seven days – up to 24 times a year. In most states, individuals who are 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also need to meet certain height and weight requirements.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS: Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control and added precautions – social distancing and face coverings for staff and volunteers – have been implemented to ensure the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive and are asked to wear a mask during donation.

SCHEDULE A BLOOD DONATION:
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter sponsor code: rememberingthebadges or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

About Ascension Saint Thomas

Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization dedicated to transformation through innovation across the continuum of care. As one of the leading non-profit and Catholic health systems in the U.S., Ascension is committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. In FY2020, Ascension provided $2.4 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs. Ascension includes more than 160,000 associates and 40,000 aligned providers. The national health system operates more than 2,600 sites of care – including 139 hospitals and more than 40 senior living facilities – in 19 states and the District of Columbia, while providing a variety of services including clinical and network services, venture capital investing, investment management, biomedical engineering, facilities management, risk management, and contracting through Ascension’s own group purchasing organization.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/Tennessee or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on Twitter at @RedCrossTN.

This press release was produced by Williamson County Chamber. The views expressed here are the author’s own.