United Blood Services to Host 10th Annual Guns and Hoses Blood Drive in Gillette

Press Release – United Blood Services is proud to once again partner with area law enforcement and firefighters for the 10^th Annual Guns and Hoses Community Blood Drive at the Campbell County Recreation Center December 27 – 29. This is a friendly blood drive competition between Team Fire and Team Law to see who can recruit more blood donors during an especially crucial time of year. The event kicks off with a tug of war between local police officers and firefighters.

WHO:       Gillette Police Department (Team Law) and Gillette Fire Department (Team Fire)

WHAT:     Blood drive recruitment competition kickoff tug of war

WHERE:  Campbell County Recreation Center – Field House

250 W. Shoshone Ave., Gillette

WHEN:    Wednesday, Dec. 27 at 10 am

The blood drive competition begins immediately following the tug of war and will be held at the Campbell County Recreation Center Canyon Room:

Blood donors who participate in the Guns and Hoses Community Blood Drive are asked to choose whether they will donate on behalf of Team Fire or Team Law. The team that recruits the most blood donors during the three-day blood drive will win bragging rights and possession of a traveling trophy. The Fire Department won last year’s competition and leads with six overall wins compared to the police department’s three wins. Last year, in all, 413 donors came out to the blood drive, their donations potentially helping more than 1,000 patients in need.

All donors will receive a red or blue “Guns and Hoses” T-shirt depending on whether they donate in honor of Team Fire or Team Law (while supplies last) and enjoy refreshments.

“During the busy holiday season fewer schools and businesses hold blood drives, but the need to maintain a safe blood supply for patients is constant,” United Blood Services Regional Donor Recruitment Manager Brittany Sigel said. “We are so appreciative of Gillette’s lifesavers in uniform and the community members who team up for this event each year to ensure patient needs can continue to be met.”

To save time, donors can fill out their Fast Track Health History Questionnaire online at unitedbloodservices.org the day of their donation. To donate blood, volunteers must be at least 16 years old (16 and 17-year-old donors need a minor donor permit which is available at the blood drive or online) and be in good health.

To schedule an appointment call 877.827.4376 or go to www.unitedbloodservices.org. Appointments are preferred, walk-ins are welcome.

Special thanks to event partner First Interstate Bank for their support of Guns and Hoses. 

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Headquartered in Denver, Blood Systems’ Mountain Division consists of Bonfils Blood Center operations in Colorado and United Blood Services operations throughout Wyoming, western Nebraska and southwestern South Dakota. Together, Bonfils Blood Center and United Blood Services need to collect approximately 3,500 blood donations each week to support patients at nearly 140 hospitals and healthcare facilities. The division includes 11 donor centers and operates an average of 250 blood drives monthly. Blood Systems, one of the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit community blood service providers, serves more than 1,000 hospitals across 28 states to provide comprehensive transfusion medicine services for patients in need.