FAYETTEVILLE, Ark — Today the City of Fayetteville hosted its annual blood drive honoring the late Officer Stephen Carr, who served in the Fayetteville Police Department.

Officer Carr was 27 years old when he was killed while on duty on Dec. 7, 2019.

In a post shared to Instagram, the Fayetteville Police Department says they “have used this day to celebrate Officer Carr rather than mourn.”

Because Officer Carr’s badge number was thirteen the City of Fayetteville holds the blood drive every year on April 13.

The blood drive, which was held in partnership with the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO), took place on Monday, April 13th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside the Fayetteville Town Center. CBCO provides blood and plasma to all hospitals in the Northwest Arkansas area. In order to keep up with patients blood needs, local donors are needed.

Greg Womack, recruiter for CBCO, said that the blood drive is “very positive and very helpful, while at the same time shining light on some of the things, the sacrifices, the risks that come with that kind of work.”

At the blood drive, some donors received a free t-shirt and an admission voucher that is redeemable at several locations: Scott Family Amazeum, Discovery Center of Springfield, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in Branson.

Donors are “helping their own neighbors, people they work with, go to church with. It’s a great way to help your local community,” said Womack.

The CBCO will hold its next blood drive on April 21 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sigma Chi Fraternity at the University of Arkansas.

The CBCO has locations in Springdale, Ar., Bentonville, AR., Joplin, MO. and Springfield, MO.