VIDEO: Ardmore’s emergency responders attended the Boots, Badges and Gurneys Blood Drive this summer where they raised money for a tornado relief recovery fund. Every year the Oklahoma Blood Institute partners with police, fire, EMS and others to promote and plan a drive to collect life-saving blood donations.
“As someone who has done a lot of accidents, blood is really needed,” Ardmore Police Capt. Paul White said. “I try to encourage every citizen of Ardmore to come out and get blood because it may be your loved one that needs that blood.”
This year, they raised money too. Nearly $3,000, all to help folks rebuild their lives after dozens of homes were damaged and destroyed in the April 2024 tornado. “There’s so many lives that have been impacted and there’s so many people that are still working to put their lives back together,” United Way of South Central Oklahoma executive director Bryce Chitwood said.
After the storm, United Way created a long-term tornado relief fund and partnered with Donorable Cares to make it happen. “Donorable Cares is an organization that helps raise money for charities or even individuals that want to be in a gig-economy,” Oklahoma Blood Institute executive director Susan Crews said.
You sign up to donate blood through Donorable Cares’ QR code, putting money towards long-term relief recovery. “It’s $15 if you sign up and make an appointment through that QR code,” Chitwood said. “If you’re a first time blood donor, it’s a $100 donation to the long-term recovery fund.”
As the relief efforts continue, so do the blood drives. The Oklahoma Blood Institute in Ardmore has plenty of upcoming drives that will continue giving back to the long-term relief fund, including Thursday and Friday’s Beef Council Blood Drive. Donors will get a free beef hot dog. The Beef Council Drive will continue Friday from 8 to 5:30.
