Local law enforcement to join the American Red Cross blood drive to honor fallen officer Molly Bowden
COLUMBIA, MO
The American Red Cross, Columbia Police Department, and Boone County Sheriff’s Department are teaming up to host an annual blood drive in memory of fallen CPD officer, Molly Bowden.
The drive is scheduled to take place Friday at the Grace Bible Church in Columbia from 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Officer Molly Bowden was with Columbia Police for just over three years when she died in February of 2005. A month prior, she was conducting a routine traffic stop when she was shot multiple times.
Bowden was 26-years-old and the first Columbia Police officer killed in the line of duty. Since Bowden's death, a park has been dedicated in her honor, along with a neighborhood police center and several other blood drives.
Bowden's father, David O. Thomas, explained to the ABC 17 News team in 2018, that the night when Bowden was shot, there was a blood drive put on by the American Red Cross. Over 400 people came out in support of Bowden, who was in urgent need of 14 pints of blood. That drive is the one that started the tradition.
To donate blood Friday in Bowen's honor, people will need to make an appointment. There are a few ways to do so.
Individuals can use the Red Cross Blood Donor App on a smartphone, go to redcrossblood.org, or call 1-800-Red Cross (1-800-733-2767) and use the sponsor code MOLLYBOWDEN.
The American Red Cross says the start of the new year is one of the most challenging times to collect blood due to weather conditions and illnesses, so everyone is encouraged to give if possible.
