Winner of Boots and Badges Blood Drive gets bragging rights 3 straight year

Columbia, SC (WOLO) — It’s annual fight for blood, a friendly competition between the local agencies to see whose badge gets the most backing, and whose boots will send the other agency packing.

Members of the public come out to the annual event each year to help each team draw the most blood to be donated to the American Red Cross here in South Carolina.  The results are in, and for the third year in a row the Richland County Sheriff’s Department walks away with another win garnering them bragging rights. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott didn’t waste any time to twitter to share the news.

THANK YOU to everyone who came out and helped #RCSD hold onto the winning title in this year’s Boots & Badges Blood Drive with 64 votes! @ColaFire got 25 and @ColumbiaPDSC 22. We appreciate all these guys do for our community! ???? @RedCrossSC pic.twitter.com/kdURUZNQUo

— Richland County Sheriff’s Dept. (@RCSD) May 24, 2019

Participating agencies tell ABC Columbia News they saw a good turnout at two different locations this year,  Columbia Place Mall and the Drew Wellness Center.  The Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Columbia Fire Department and the Columbia Police Department greeted members of the community willing to roll up their sleeves and help each department give the gift of life just before the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

When all was said and done, RCSD  was able to get 64 votes, followed by Columbia Fire Department with 25, and Columbia Police with 22 votes.