FORT COLLINS, Colo.  – UCHealth’s Garth Englund Blood Center is pleased to announce the launch of the third annual 9/11 Blood Drive Challenge. This challenge is a way of honoring the sacrifices made on Sept 11 with an event that continues to save lives through blood donations.

The 3rd annual 9/11 Blood Drive Challenge is a friendly competition between the Fort Collins Police Services, Poudre Fire Authority and Poudre Valley Hospital EMS. The agency with the most blood donations made in its name between Sept. 1 and Sept 10 wins the challenge. Garth Englund is reaching out to the community and encouraging everyone to show their support for the heroes who care for our community 24 hours a day.

There are several opportunities to donate in Fort Collins as part of this challenge.

THE MOBILE HERO BUS will be on site at the following locations as part of the challenge:

• Poudre Fire Authority, 102 Remington St., from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept 6.
• Fort Collins Police Services, 2221 S. Timberline Road, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept 7.
• PVH EMS, Mason, 3509 Mason St., from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 8.

AT THE GARTH ENGLUND BLOOD CENTER: Donors wishing to participate in the challenge but unable to make it to a bus location can donate any weekday from Sept 1-10 at the Garth Englund Blood Donation Center, 1025 Pennock Place, Suite 104. The center is open:

• 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays,
• 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays,
• 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Fridays.
• ADDITIONAL HOURS have been added for the challenge from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 10.

Points are awarded to an agency every time someone donates in its name. Each whole blood donation, which takes 30-40 minutes, is worth two points. Appointments for whole blood donations are not required but appreciated. Platelet donations, which require an appointment and can only be done through the blood center, take anywhere from 45-110 minutes, and are worth five points.

For more details or to schedule an appointment for platelet donation, call 970.680.8053. To sign up online for a whole-blood donation appointment on the Hero Bus at any of the three challenge on-site blood drives, go to the signup sheet here.

“Each blood donation can save up to three lives,” according to Charles Kaine, UCHealth’s blood donor recruiter. Blood donated through the challenge, as well as all blood donated through UCHealth’s Garth Englund Blood Center throughout the year, stays local. It helps patients at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, Greeley Emergency and Surgery Center and Estes Park Medical Center.

When all of the donations are compiled, the agency that has the most donation points will win possession of the traveling trophy and bragging rights.

“In the end, though, everyone wins,” said Kaine. “We know that 9/11 is a difficult time for many people. We are thrilled to give the community a way to give back and turn the day into something better.”