PIERRE, (KCCR) — This year’s Tyler Wilcox Memorial Guns and Hoses Blood Drive collected 438 units of blood for LiFeServe Blood Center. That total bested the 2022 total of 434 but fell short of the 507 all-time record. LifeServe took over the Wilcox drive from Vitalant two years ago and Vitalant continues to hold blood drives in central South Dakota. LifeServe Territory Representative Abbie Arneson moved from Vitalant to LifeServe and says the competing agencies likely played a role in slightly fewer taking part…
Regardless of who collects the blood it all makes a difference…
Arneson says LifeServe’s model keeps local blood closer to home…
Vitalant has replaced the Guns ‘n Hoses blood drive in Pierre and Fort Pierre with the Battle of the Badges blood drive in Aberdeen in mid-December.