We will always Give Like Charly.
Last Saturday, the Quad-City community came together for the 4th annual Give Like Charly blood drive at Bettendorf High School, collecting more than 100 units of much-needed blood.
Charly Erpelding was just eight years old when she first beat cancer, and along the way she rallied an entire community that proudly cheered her on.
When her cancer returned eight years later, more aggressive than before, Charly chose to share her story so others would understand how blood is medicine for patients fighting cancer. Blood transfusions were a critical part of her treatment and helped give her family more time with her.
Each donation given in Charly's honor continues her legacy.
Answer the Eagle Call
St. Louis blood donors rocked it in Arnold on Monday!
Every winter, we team up with some of our favorite St. Louis radio personalities for the KPNT Rizzuto Blood Drive. This year's event featured a live remote with King Scott, where every donor received this year's limited-edition Eagle Call T shirt, hand drawn and designed by King Scott.
King Scott was on hand to hand out shirts and other KPNT merchandise to our blood donors.
Reds for Rich
"It gave us more time to have one last Christmas with him."
Rich Gansheimer was a lifelong athlete who went on early morning runs to explore every new city his career in corrections took him. He loved to hike, kayak and camp in national parks. And he loved spending time with his family, including his wife Gina of 35 years and their three kids Megan, Michael and Marshall.
When he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2021, blood transfusions became a critical part of his care. And when blood wasn't available where he lived in Texas, his family had to travel a couple hours to get him the blood he needed.
The experience changed the Gansheimer family.
And it gave them a clear mission: Reds for Rich. The blood drive is in its third year of helping other families by turning love and loss into action. Watch their story here.
Springfield Family Support
When the Springfield team comes together, good things happen for the community.
The Springfield team supported a local family served by Sojourn Shelter and Services in Springfield, Illinois. Sojourn provides safe shelter and supportive services for survivors of domestic violence, helping individuals and families grow and build lives free of violence.
Through snack table purchases, raffle tickets, and generous teamwork, the group was able to provide everything on the family's wish list. From toys and games to books and meaningful gifts, each item was thoughtfully chosen to help make the holidays brighter for a mom and her three kids.
Seeing all of the gifts come together was a powerful reminder of what can happen when people rally around a shared purpose!