ENGLEWOOD — Support the blood supply during a summer of urgent need by donating at the 13th annual Officer Bill Davenport Memorial Blood Drive Thursday, July 25 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Englewood Government Center, 333 West National Road.

Schedule an appointment to donate with Solvita (formerly Community Blood Center) on the Donor Time app, by calling (937) 461-3220, or at www.donortime.com. Walk-ins are welcome at either the Englewood Government Center or at the Solvita Dayton Center, 349 S. Main St.

Sgt. Bill Davenport was an Englewood police officer for nearly 38 years. In 2011 he lost his 10-year battle with multiple myeloma, a cancer that attacks the plasma cells in the bone marrow. The family began hosting the memorial blood drive in 2012 on his birthday to honor his memory and encourage blood donations. In its 12-year history the blood drive has totaled 588 donors and 488 units donated.

“We are excited to host our annual blood drive,” said Bill’s son Brett Davenport, coordinator of the blood drive and Battalion Chief at the Kettering Fire Department. “This will be a monumental year as we will finally reach over 500 units donated!”

“After our father passed away, as a family, we came up with the idea to start this blood drive,” he said. “The impact just one blood drive makes over the years is amazing. We love seeing the same returning faces and how our families have grown. My daughter was not even a year old at our first drive and now she is almost 13!”

Brett said, “I read, ‘The things you take for granted are things someone else is praying for. Be thankful.’ This could not be a more fitting way to encourage donors to come out and help save a life.”

Everyone who registers to donate at any Solvita blood drive or the Solvita Dayton Center will receive the Solvita “From One to Many” beach towel and will be automatically entered in the drawing for two tickets to Taylor Swift’s Nov. 3 show at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

You can save time while helping save lives by using “DonorXPress” to complete the donor questionnaire before arriving at a blood drive. Find DonorXPress on the Donor Time App or at https://bit.ly/4byn40T.