WE GIVE BLOOD IS BACK!
Abbott and Big Ten Conference’s WE GIVE BLOOD drive is back, and we’re proud to champion blood donation all football season long! It’s a chance to save lives while supporting your favorite Big Ten football team! This year's event runs from Aug 26 through December 4. Donors who submit a proof of a successful donation (made between August 12 through December 4) to Abbott before noon on December 4 will receive a limited-edition T-shirt from Abbott, while supplies last!
Big Ten schools will compete for a one million dollar grant by registering the greatest number of donors among Big Ten institutions across the country during the upcoming Big Ten football season. This is the third year of the competition: Year 1 Nebraska won, and Year 2 Wisconsin won!
Every donation made during the competition (August 12 through December 4 at noon) scores one point for the Big Ten school designated by the donor on the leaderboard.
Learn more about WE GIVE BLOOD here!
ABO INITIATIVE IN ACTION
As a new fall semester kicks off, our team hit the ground running across central Illinois to welcome students back and build lifesaving momentum for the school year ahead.
During Welcome Week, we connected with passionate students ready to make an impact. At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, our student ambassadors took to Quad Day last Sunday to share how easy it is to schedule a donation and represent the Fighting Illini in the Abbott and Big Ten "We Give Blood" Drive competition.
Down the road in Bloomington-Normal, the enthusiasm continued at Illinois State University on Tuesday and Heartland Community College on Wednesday where students, faculty, and student leaders lined up to support campus drives and step up for local patients.
Our ABO Initiative is a way for students to be part of something bigger. Learn more about it here!
PADDLING WITH PRIDE
What better way to make waves in the community? We were proud to sponsor the Madison Magnet and Rainbow Happy Hour's Pride Paddle, bringing 45 community members together to connect and spend time on the water.
Between the paddling and the celebration, we connected with young professionals, shared more about our mission, and recruited donors for an upcoming Madison Magnet blood drive. Every new connection is a chance to inspire someone to roll up their sleeve and save lives!
CORPUSCLE SHUFFLE'S EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE IS ALMOST HERE
We’re rapidly approaching the deadline for early-bird registration for the upcoming Corpuscle Shuffle 5K Run & Walk - a highlight of the fall season for our staff members, blood donors, volunteers, and supporters!
We can’t wait to see participants gather on an October Saturday morning to start their day with a jaunt through the hills on city streets near our headquarters – followed by a celebration at the nearby Five Cities Brewery for our awards ceremony and post-race party!
The Corpuscle Shuffle annually raises more than $20,000 towards the blood center's LifeSavings Grant program, a key element of our outreach to the next generation of blood donors. Kindergarten through 12th grade institutions that host blood drives with ImpactLife receive a grant of $250, plus one dollar for each registered blood donor. Schools can use these to purchase books, equipment, and technology. They can also use the grant money for scholarships or to donate to another nonprofit or cause.
For employees who want to participate in the race, there is a special registration discount now available! Use promo code EMPLOYEEIMPACT26 for $25.00 registration, good through October 3. The race day itself is managed by volunteers from our staff, helping with tasks ranging from setting up the course in the morning to distributing T-shirts to participants – and we still need YOU! Sign up here to be a part of putting on the fun!
CELEBRATING WORLD TRAINERS DAY
Trainers teach us to grow as we go!
World Trainers Day is celebrated August 24. We take this time to honor and recognize the hard work, patience, and dedication of the trainers, educators, and corporate learning professionals around the world. Through their guidance and expertise, our trainers help shape the skills that individuals and organizations need to grow and succeed - and play an essential role in helping each of us reach our full potential, personally and professionally.
By sharing their knowledge, encouraging our progress, and inspiring us to achieve more, trainers make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people and organizations they serve.
Our training team is distributed throughout our service area, so if you encounter any of the individuals in the photos below, take the time to tell them you appreciate their contributions to our team!
"DONATING BLOOD IS A FUN THING TO DO!" DAVID BUTT, DONATING HALL-OF-FAMER
A well-earned celebration of lifesaving dedication!
For David Butt, donating blood has become part of his routine. David is a regular at our Springfield donor center, having amassed an incredible total of more than 400 whole blood and platelet donations. His commitment to Putting Good into the World will soon earn him an induction into the Fresenius Kabi National Blood Donor Hall of Fame!
David says the ability to make a difference motivates him to keep donating. “I’m watching myself and pushing myself to continue moving up this ladder because it’s something I can do,” Butt said.
Most recently, Butt has been encouraging University of Illinois students and families to participate in this year’s Big Ten Blood Donation Challenge. You can watch WAND News’ story on David here!