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(Photo/Alex Kielar) Local first responders gather around with the winning plaque for the 2025 Battle of the Badges, which winner Sacred Cross EMS was not in attendance to accept. From left to right is BFD Assistant Chief Wes Turner, BFD Chief Malcolm Bufkin, Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Rose, Sheriff Kevin Roach, Carter BloodCare’s Colleen Horan, BPD Chief Blake Johnson, Carter BloodCare’s Clinton McCoy, Rotary Club of Breckenridge President Cynthia Northrop and Sheriff’s Office Kyler Miller. -
(Photo/Alex Kielar) Carter BloodCare representatives Clinton McCoy and Colleen Horan reveal Sacred Cross EMS as the winners of the 2025 Battle of the Badges blood drive which took place earlier this year. -
(Photo/Alex Kielar) First responders donated blood during the Battle of the Badges blood drive earlier this year and Sacred Cross EMS was announced as the winner in their first year participating. -
(Photo/Alex Kielar) Rotary Club of Breckenridge members Sherry and Les Strickland hold the Battle of the Badges blood drive every year in coordination with Carter BloodCare and will be holding another blood drive at TSTC Thursday, Sept. 4. -
(Photo/Alex Kielar) Rotary Club of Breckenridge members Sherry and Les Strickland hold the Battle of the Badges blood drive every year in coordination with Carter BloodCare and will be holding another blood drive at TSTC Thursday, Sept. 4.
In their first year participating in the blood drive, Sacred Cross EMS has been named the winners of the 2025 Battle of the Badges. Earlier this summer, the community came out in support of each other and local first responders for the annual blood drive.
The votes were tallied and Sacred Cross EMS was announced as the winner at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Breckenridge.
Carter BloodCare representatives Colleen Horan and Clinton McCoy visited the Rotary Club during its meeting Tuesday, Aug. 26 and declared Sacred Cross as the winners in their inaugural year taking part in the competition.
While no one from Sacred Cross was in attendance, the plaque was accepted by Rotary Club President Cynthia Northrop on their behalf, and members of the Breckenridge Police Department, Stephens County Sheriff’s Office and Breckenridge Fire Department gathered for a picture with the plaque.
The annual event is a joint effort by Carter BloodCare and Rotary Club members Les and Sherry Strickland. While signing in at the blood drive, community members were given a ballot to make their donation in honor of one of the first responder groups, BPD, BFD, SCSO or Sacred Cross EMS.
At the end of the two-day blood drive, there was a total of 47 pints donated which was just one donation short of last year’s total.
“I think I've told you guys before. There's a reason why we do these extra blood drives in the summer, because we get super low on blood. It happened again this year. Every summer we just dread it, because of the high school blood drives not happening,” Horan said. “They're 25% of all the blood that we collect all year. So, the summer is just the worst. So, we think of fun, extra things to do. And so, Battle of the Badges is one of them.”
The annual blood drive is a way to create a fun competition while helping out an important cause. The previous winners of the drive were BFD five times, including last year, SCSO two times and BPD with one win in 2021.
“I just want to thank all the first responders for everything that you do, first of all. But thank you for participating in this fun little event. I want to thank the police department, the fire department, the sheriff's office, and the new participant this year, Sacred Cross EMS,” Horan said. “Thank you all very much for helping us promote this and donating and making it fun and just helping us get those extra units of blood.”
The next club-hosted blood drive will take place Thursday, Sept. 4 at Texas State Technical College at 307 N. Breckenridge Ave.
