Boots & Badges Blood Drive

Support Local First Responders at a Boots & Badges Blood Drive!

Give blood with Our Blood Institute and get a Boots & Badges T-shirt!

June 23

June 10, 2026 - Support local first responders and help save lives by donating blood at the Van Buren Boots & Badges Blood Drive hosted by Our Blood Institute (OBI).

The blood drive will take place on Tuesday, June 23, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Church – Family Life Center.

As a special thank-you, donors will receive their choice of a free admission ticket to Frontier City, Hurricane Harbor, or Magic Springs Theme and Water Park. Successful donors will also receive a limited-edition Boots & Badges T-shirt (while supplies last) and two vouchers to an Arkansas Naturals home baseball game.

“Our first responders see the daily need for blood firsthand when the people they rescue require lifesaving treatment,” said Dr. John Armitage, President and CEO of Our Blood Institute. “We can’t say enough about the service our police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel provide, and we owe it to them to do our part by ensuring blood is available when emergencies happen.”

Anyone who is healthy and at least 16 years old* is eligible to donate blood. The donation process typically takes about an hour, and a single donation can save up to three lives.

Appointments can be scheduled online at obi.org or by calling 877-340-8777. Walk-ins are welcome.

Join local first responders in making a difference and helping ensure a safe and reliable blood supply for patients in need throughout our community.

*Donors age 16 must meet additional eligibility requirements.

*16-year-olds must weigh at least 125 pounds and provide signed parental permission; 17-year-olds must weigh at least 125 pounds; 18+ year olds must weigh at least 110 pounds. Photo ID required. 

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Our Blood Institute is the sixth-largest independent blood center in the nation, with 17 donor centers in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas. OBI is the nonprofit blood provider for patients at more than 240 hospitals, medical facilities and air ambulances across all three states.