LG Health’s Blood Donor Center hosted the Bleed Blue Challenge, a blood donation competition organized by local police departments, from January 4 to 29.
In winter, busy holiday schedules, flu season, winter weather, and now COVID-19, cause blood donations to drop nationwide.
“To ensure an adequate supply of blood, community members were encouraged to donate blood at the LG Health Blood Donor Center or at one of LG Health’s Community Blood Drives in support of their local police department,” said Brian Stambaugh, director, Laboratory Operations at LG Health.
Police departments with Pennsylvania State Police; Lancaster City; East Hempfield, East Lampeter, Pequea, Manheim and West Hempfield townships; Columbia, Lititz, Millersville, Mount Joy, Quarryville and Strasburg boroughs; Northwest Regional and Millersville University competed to see which department, along with their community members, could donate the most blood.
“Our first responders and police are great leaders in caring for our community. This effort was one more contribution they were willing to make,” Stambaugh said.
Quarryville Borough Police finished in first place with a total of 75 units of blood. East Lampeter Township Police came in second with 64 units and Manheim Township Police took third with 56. In all, the Bleed Blue Challenge resulted in donations of 594 units of blood. The ultimate winners were our community members.
Units of Blood Collected
| Duration |
Units |
| Week 1 |
155 |
| Week 2 |
164 |
| Week 3 |
156 |
| Week 4 |
119 |
| Total |
594 |