T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM

Marshall County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Ben Veren waits for Isaac Davis with the American Red Cross to insert a needle into his arm during the annual Battle of the Badges blood drive on Thursday. Almost three hours into the drive, which started at noon, 24 people had donated. MCSO Executive Assistant Hayley Paige said she believes more people would donate than last year, which had 28 donors. The annual drive is a friendly competition between MCSO, the Marshalltown Police Department and the Marshalltown Fire Department. When a person donates, they vote for whichever department they want to get credit. By the end, there were a total of 35 donations, and the MCSO defended their crown after also winning last year.