It’s time to kick off football season and the Bedlam Blood Battle, featuring your favorite coaches on new Bedlam-themed t-shirts, free for Oklahoma Blood Institute blood donors.

Healthy adults, age 16 and older, can give blood at one of the following drives:

• Mercy Hospital Kingfisher, 1-5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12;

• Kingfisher First Christian Church, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14.

All donors will receive their choice of a free “OSU orange” t-shirt featuring the profile of Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy, or an “OU crimson” t-shirt featuring Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley’s profile.

“No matter which team you’re backing in the Bedlam Blood Battle, we love our football here in Oklahoma,” said John Armitage, M.D., president and CEO of Oklahoma Blood Institute. “But saving the lives of our neighbors and friends through blood donation is what really defines the spirit of our community. We thank our local universities and coaches for supporting Oklahoma Blood Institute in the unified mission of meeting the blood needs of patients in our state.”

Oklahoma Blood Institute relies solely on 1,200 volunteer blood donors a day to meet the needs of patients at more than 160 hospitals and medical facilities as well as all air ambulances statewide.  

The donation process takes about an hour.  

Blood can be donated every 56 days. Platelets can be given as often as every seven days, up to 24 times a year.

If donors opt not to take the t-shirt, funds will be given to Global Blood Fund, a 501(c)(3) charity organization helping to procure much-needed blood center supplies in developing countries.

Appointments to give blood are not required but can be made by visiting obi.org  or calling (877) 340-8777.