Even after his passing, Curt Stinson’s legacy of giving and public service lives on.

A longtime Red Cross blood donor, the Helena assistant police chief died of cancer in October of 2021. To honor Stinson and encourage others to donate blood, the Helena Police Department hosted a Red Cross blood drive recently.

“Curt was a very good person, and that’s what it takes to be a good police officer,” Helena Chief of Police Brett Petty said. “It starts with a good foundation, good moral beliefs, high integrity. A family guy – he was always doing stuff with his three kids, and as part of policing you really have to be engaged with the community and he was.”

More than 30 donors, including 10 first-timers, came out to give. They included Curt’s widow, Christine, former Helena Police Chief Steve Hagen, Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins, and of course, fellow police officers.

Stinson donated more than 11 gallons of lifesaving blood through an amazing 92 donations through the years. And just as importantly, he inspired others to give as well.

“There’s quite a few of us in the department that never donated blood until Curt talked about it or voluntarily pushed us to go and do it,” Petty said. “He really brought it to light and the importance of it.”

Petty said they hope to turn this year’s drive into an annual event that will continue to honor Stinson, who was with the Helena Police Department for almost 26 years.

“He definitely left a legacy,” Petty said. “Curt will forever be remembered here at the department, and I believe this is an excellent way to not only honor Curt and his service to the Helena community, but also help those in need of blood donations.”

GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE

Never given blood before? Now’s a great time to start. A donation takes less than an hour and can save more than one life. Learn more and find a blood drive near you at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.