Donate Blood, Help your Favorite High School Football Team Win the 2019 Colts Leadership Challenge

(INDIANAPOLIS) – Hospital patients across Indiana need blood every day. To help ensure the blood supply doesn’t run low in the summer months, Indiana Blood Center, part of Versiti, is again partnering with the Indianapolis Colts for the annual Colts Leadership Challenge.

The challenge, which began in 2012, activates high school football teams across the state to exercise their influence and leadership in their respective communities, host a local blood drive now through July 25 and encourage local supporters to give life-saving blood.

Three teams will win this year’s Colts Leadership Challenge, and there are three ways to win: 

  • One team will win for hosting the largest blood drive and capturing the most blood donations.
  • Another team will win for achieving the largest percentage of blood donations based on the size of its school.
  • A third winner will come from a wildcard drawing among teams that received 30 or more blood donations.

Teams that host a drive with 30 or more participants will be entered to win a $2,500 equipment grant from the Colts, VIP access to 2019 Colts Training Camp, recognition from the Indiana Football Coaches Association and more.

Last year, the challenge drew nearly 1,500 blood donations. North Vermillion High School in Cayuga won for the largest blood drive, Cloverdale High School in Cloverdale won for the highest percent participation and Tipton High School in Tipton won the wildcard drawing.

In Indiana, 560 blood donations are needed each day to meet the needs of Indiana Blood Center’s 80 partner hospitals across the state. However, donations typically drop nearly 20 percent in the summer months. The center is without blood donations received through drives at high schools and colleges; students contribute 30 percent of Indiana’s blood supply each year.

Donating blood takes about an hour. Anyone age 17 or older in good health who meets eligibility requirements is encouraged to give. Parental consent is required for donors age 16 to donate blood. Donors should bring a photo ID that includes their birth date.

Appointments are encouraged but walk-ins are welcome. To schedule an appointment to donate blood, call 317-916-5150 or visit Versiti online.

More than 90,000 Indiana residents each year give blood through the Indiana Blood Center, a non-profit organization founded in 1952 that operates blood donation centers in Indianapolis, Fishers, Carmel, Greenwood, Lafayette, and Terre Haute. The center also operates thousands of mobile and community blood drives each year throughout the state. Indiana Blood Center provides a continuous and safe supply of blood and biological services to nearly 80 Indiana hospitals and their patients and beyond.