American Red Cross

WOODHULL, Ill. (April 15, 2008) – Raising awareness about the need for blood donations and honoring those who support it was the focus of an American Red Cross recognition brunch recently held in Woodhull, Ill. The Peoria-based blood services region recognized Red Cross Chapters, blood drive coordinators, blood donors and volunteers in Mercer, Henry, Bureau, Rock Island and Scott Counties. Each of the honored groups is critical to the success of the blood services program and helps to provide blood to patients in need in local communities and across the nation.

One of the most prestigious awards given to Red Cross volunteers is the Volunteer of the Year award. This year Carol Johnson, a resident of New Windsor, Ill., received this award for her dedication and commitment to blood donors. As demonstration of this commitment, Johnson recently held a recognition event for fellow volunteers and blood donors in her home.

The following Red Cross blood drive sponsors received special awards in recognition of their hard work and achievement:

Highest Percentage of Community Donating – Mercer County Chapter, Aledo, Ill.
Largest High School Blood Drive (in western Illinois/eastern Iowa) – Sherrard High School, Sherrard, Ill.
Most Units of Blood Collected – ARC of the Quad Cities Area Henry County Service Center

Special recognition was also given to sponsors who held five or more drives in a year:

St. Patrick’s Church, Colona, Ill.
St. Margaret’s Hospital, Spring Valley, Ill.
Aledo Community VFW, Aledo, Ill.
First United Methodist Church, Galva, Ill.

Awards were also presented to donors who have given 250 or more lifetime donations:

Dale Kooi, Kewanee, Ill.
Lenore Kistler, Aledo, Ill.
Carroll Reid, Keithsburg, Ill.
Darrell Hicks, Sterling, Ill.
Jean Jones, LaMoille, Ill.
Cecil Kelsey, Peru, Ill.
Phyllis Turner, Kasbeer, Ill.
Charles Johnson, Alexis, Ill.
Robert Lautzenhiser, Princeton, Ill.
Harvey Carlson, Lynn Center, Ill.
Wes Carlson, Lynn Center, Ill.