Press release from the CICBC
Lincoln man wins Jeep Patriot in Blood Center Drawing

[September 20, 2015]  SPRINGFIELD - Lincoln resident Dennis Clemons is selected as the winner of a 2015 Jeep Patriot as part of Central Illinois Community Blood Center’s summer-long “Made in the USA” promotion. Between Friday, May 22 and Saturday, September 5, all presenting donors at the Springfield Donor Center (1999 Wabash Ave.) as well as mobile blood drives throughout the Blood Center’s service region were entered to win the Jeep Patriot.

Clemons’ name was randomly selected from more than 60,000 individual donor registrations that took place throughout the Blood Center’s entire service region between May 22 and Sept. 5.

Clemons knew he was doing a good deed on Thursday, July 9 when he visited the Springfield Donor Center to give blood and help patients in his community. However, it was also this visit that earned him entry into the “Made in the USA” Jeep Patriot drawing and would later be selected for the prize.

Clemons has been giving blood for 25 years, starting when his father was hospitalized for a lung surgery that required a blood transfusion. His father later received a quadruple bypass and received a transfusion at that time as well. While his father inspired Dennis’ first donation, he continues to donate regularly in support of the community blood supply.

Dennis is a Senior Inspection Technician with the Illinois Department of Transportation and performs inspections of road work completed by IDOT contractors.

The “Made in the USA” promotion was developed to support the blood supply during the difficult summer months when the rate of blood donation drops by about 20 percent, said Tara Matheson at Central Illinois Community Blood Center. “We are so grateful to blood donors and drive sponsors who support our mission all through the year,” Matheson said. “Patients receive blood transfusions to replace blood lost in surgery or accidents, to help treat cancer, and for many other reasons that occur at the same rate all year-round. That’s why we need to make sure we maintain an adequate blood supply all summer long.”

[Anna McFarland]