Dennis Clemons of Lincoln “gets back” for giving blood
CICBC awards Clemons with a 2015 Jeep Patriot

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[September 17, 2015]  LINCOLN - On Wednesday evening, representatives from the Central Illinois Community Blood Center delivered a 2015 Jeep Patriot to Lincoln resident Dennis Clemons. Clemons won the Jeep as the result of donating blood at the Springfield Center on July 9th. Clemons is a regular donor at the center in Springfield, and also participates in local CICBC blood drives. He has been giving blood to the CICBC for the past 25 years.

Wednesday evening Clemons said the days immediately before and after Labor Day weekend had been quite eventful for him. First, he had taken in a game of golf on Thursday before Labor Day. On Saturday, he was notified that he had, as a result of that game, won the drawing for a new set of golf clubs. That felt pretty good for Clemons, but then, on the Tuesday after Labor Day he was notified that he had won a vehicle. He said with that kind of lucky streak, “I went out and bought lottery tickets!”

Clemons also said that while he was aware there was a giveaway going on this summer at the CICBC, he was not aware that his name had been entered. When he got the call, his first reaction was mild disbelief.


Clemons and Kirby Winn

Kirby Winn of the CICBC explained that each person who signed up to give blood at a CICBC drive this summer was automatically entered into the drawing. In the region that covers parts of Illinois, Eastern Iowa, and St. Louis, MO, more than 65,000 entries were made. The organization then used an outside source, computer program to draw the lucky number. The number drawn, Winn said was somewhere in the 27,000’s. When the number was matched to the name, it was Clemons.

Tara Matheson, with CICBC said that at the Springfield Center everyone was extremely excited to learn that it was one of their donors who had won the vehicle. Clemons recalled going to the Springfield Center after learning he had won, and telling everyone there he had won. Matheson said, yes, she knew about that visit. At that time, the staff did not know who the winner was, and they almost didn’t believe Clemons. The staff called Matheson and asked if it were true, and she confirmed it was. She said, then they got really excited.

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Before moving up in the organization, Matheson said she used to, years ago conduct the blood drives in Lincoln, so she too was very excited to learn that it was someone from this community.

Winn explained that summer months are particularly difficult for blood centers because many of their regular donors are on vacation, and blood donations, in general, drop. At the same time, the demand for blood can escalate at that time of year. The group felt that adding the possibility of winning a new vehicle to the mix, would help maintain the level of donations needed throughout the summer.

Asked about the future of the vehicle, Clemons noted that he and his wife are considering whether they will keep the Jeep or perhaps give it to one of their children, a son who is an expectant father. Clemons said they haven’t decided for sure yet, but they may decide to help out their son with a new vehicle.

Also participating in the presentation from the CICBC was Anna McFarland and “Blood Drop” the CIBC Mascot. The summertime giveaway is a first for the CICBC.

The CIBC provides blood supplies to a large number of Illinois Hospitals and is the sole provider of blood for Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln. The CICBC conducts blood drives on a regular basis throughout Logan County, including a monthly drive held at the Lincoln Park District on the first Wednesday of each month from noon to 5 p.m.

[Nila Smith]

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