Team Liberty, the police Corgi takes the win in overall votes

First responders, their families, and members of the Folsom community rolled up their sleeves Wednesday morning as the 2nd annual “Battle of the Badges” blood drive got underway at the Folsom Community Center.

The event, hosted by Vitalant in collaboration with the Folsom Police and Fire Departments, began at 10 a.m.  continued with a steady pace of donors up until nearly 3 p.m., with many donors having already booked appointments throughout the day to contribute during their scheduled sessions. The friendly rivalry between the Folsom Police Department and Folsom Fire Department brought out a steady stream of participants, all helping to address a critical need for blood donations.

As the event opened, both departments rallied supporters and greeted attendees, some of whom were first-time donors. Most importantly, each participant made a meaningful contribution to help replenish low blood supplies, which have been impacted by seasonal declines in donations.

“We are excited to team up—and compete—with Folsom Fire for this year’s Battle of the Badges Blood Drive,” said Folsom Police Chief Rick Hillman. “It’s a friendly rivalry, but the real winners are the community members who rely on these lifesaving donations.”

Adding to the fun was a unique side contest between the departments’ therapy dogs: Liberty, the police department’s four-legged morale booster, and Blitz, the beloved fire department pup from Hearts4HeroesUSA. Donors cast their votes in a light-hearted “canine election” throughout the event.

As of late afternoon,, votes for Blitz and Liberty were running neck and neck—“or tail to tail,” they may say. In the end it was the Folsom Police Corgi Liberty taking the most votes for the second year.

“Making a life-saving blood donation is a great way to support our community and our first responders,” said Kristin Conner, Vitalant communications manager. “Every donation can help up to three patients in need—and a little friendly rivalry makes it more fun.”

Participants not only received a free Battle of the Badges T-shirt and a $10 gift card through Vitalant’s donor rewards program, but were also entered into a drawing to win one of two $10,000 gift cards.

Folsom Fire Chief Ken Cusano, proudly backing Team Blitz, echoed the spirit of service that defined the day. “At Folsom Fire, saving lives is our job, whether it’s on an incident or donating blood,” said Cusano. “This friendly competition is all about coming together for a greater cause. We’re proud to roll up our sleeves and invite our community to do the same. Every drop counts.”

Vitalant emphasizes the urgency behind their ongoing blood drives like Wednesday’s,  noting ongoing shortage battles and the importance of community donations to meet the ongoing need for all blood types. Blood supplies tend to drop significantly during the summer months for a variety of reasons. With schools and colleges closed, fewer blood drives are held, and many regular donors are traveling or distracted by vacations and summer schedules. At the same time, demand often increases due to a rise in outdoor activities and accidents that can lead to traumatic injuries. The combination of fewer donors and greater need makes events like Battle of the Badges especially important this time of year.

Vitalant is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit blood and biotherapies healthcare organizations, providing hospitals and patients across the U.S. a safe blood supply. The organization operates a network of about 115 donation centers and hosts approximately 60,000 blood drives annually. Vitalant supports patients in nearly 900 hospitals across the country—millions of people depend on blood donations from its generous volunteer donors. Its dedicated team ensures lifesaving blood is available when and wherever it is needed.

But Vitalant is more than just a blood center. It also provides specialized laboratory services, transfusion medicine expertise, and cutting-edge research. The Vitalant Research Institute is internationally recognized for its work in blood donor epidemiology, cellular therapy, and virus discovery. Vitalant is also a partner in the operation of Creative Testing Solutions, the largest independent blood donor testing organization in the U.S., which is responsible for testing 70 percent of the nation’s blood supply.

As the blood drive was wrapping up, just over 30 appointments had been completed by donors—another mark of success for the community-driven effort. Many local first responders took time out of their day to donate, including Folsom resident Bruce Martell, a paramedic with Contra Costa County. Martell highlighted the life-saving importance of donor turnout.

“As a first responder I see firsthand the critical need for blood donations,” said Martell. “Blood banks are constantly in need of supplies and there is always a demand for blood. Coming here and donating blood like this saves lives. It’s a simple act that makes a huge difference.”

Martell wasn’t alone—his wife Shelley joined him at the event and donated as well. The couple also cast their votes in the four-legged rivalry between Liberty and Blitz, though their choice was an easy one: the Martells are the founders of Hearts for Heroes USA, the organization that placed Blitz as the Folsom Fire Department’s first therapy dog.

As donors trickled out of the community center with bandaids on arms and smiles, it was clear that everyone knows that the true victory of the day belongs to the patients whose lives will be touched by every donation made.

Couldn’t make it to Wednesday’s Blood Drive but want to help? You can donate blood at a Vitalant location in or near your community on your schedule. Learn more or find the closest donation. enter you HERE.

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