Published on Thursday, September 24, 2026 in Blog

September 25, 2026

FEEL-GOOD NEWS

Power of Good in Action

Good was definitely on the menu! We brought our Power of Good initiative to Augustana College (Rock Island, IL) and Bettendorf High School (Bettendorf, IA) for two special blood drives focused on turning compassion into action.

At Bettendorf High School, our friends from NAMI of the Greater Mississippi Valley joined us to talk with students about the importance of mental health and connect them with resources.

Augustana added a fun twist inspired by Micaela Brunson’s story, serving up pancakes alongside the blood drive. It was a delicious reminder that small acts of kindness still have a big impact.

These are the very first Power of Good blood drives, an exciting new initiative we are piloting in the Quad Cities. These are blood drive with added purpose, bringing blood donation and mental health advocacy together to show what happens when a community chooses care, connection and purpose. Every donor, every conversation and every student who gets involved helps spread a little more good. Together, we're proving that kindness can be lifesaving.

A very special thank-you to Talila Hermelin, daughter of our own Chief Medical Officer Dr. Daniela Hermelin, for contributing the artwork that inspired the imagery of the activation!

Learn more about The Power of Good here!

Lifesaving Blood, Lightning Fast

Last Friday, Portage Fire Rescue took an important step in serving the citizens of southern Wisconsin!

We are now providing red blood cells so PFR crews can administer prehospital transfusions to trauma and medical patients experiencing significant blood loss. This lifesaving capability can also be extended to neighboring communities when they need this critical intervention.

Our own Kirby Winn (Public Relations Manager) and Jake Hicks (Donor Relations Account Manager) joined Wisconsin State Representative Karen DeSanto, SSM Health Medical Director Dr. Aurora Lybeck, and Med Flight's Dr. Drew Cathers to celebrate.

We thank the men and women of Portage Fire Rescue for their commitment, dedication, and countless hours of training and preparation to provide this lifesaving intervention to the communities they serve!

Celebrating Accounting & Finance Week

"I am very proud of my staff and the work that they produce. We are a support department, and our mission is to be reliable and help wherever we can."

Kathye Brammann, Director - Finance

Celebrating some invaluable individuals who know what it means to be behind the scenes!

This Accounting and Finance Week, we're shining a spotlight on two teams that work tirelessly to keep our entire company moving forward: our Supply Management Team and our Accounting Team! While you might not interact with them every day, their work impacts every single one of us.

To every member of the Supply Management Team: Thank you for your dedication, reviewing bids and sourcing, and constant problem-solving. Because of your hard work, the rest of us have the resources we need to do our jobs seamlessly.

To every member of the Accounting Team: Thank you for your dedication in ensuring our accounts payable, and accounts receivable, and all financial entries are handled efficiently and accurately!

From left: DeAun Mayer (Staff Accountant), Katie James (Staff Accountant), Kathye Brammann, (Director, Finance) Betsy Jones (Accounting Associate), Denise Cade (Supply Management Associate), Kathy Runge (Manager, Supply Management), and Clarice Deere (Supply Management Associate)

From left: DeAun Mayer (Staff Accountant), Katie James (Staff Accountant), Kathye Brammann, (Director, Finance) Betsy Jones (Accounting Associate), Denise Cade (Supply Management Associate), Kathy Runge (Manager, Supply Management), and Clarice Deere (Supply Management Associate)

I Bleed Orange & Blue!

What better way to kick off the school year than rolling up your sleeve for your Big Ten team?

The brothers of the University of Illinois Sigma Chi – Kappa Kappa chapter proved that campus spirit and community impact go hand in hand, hosting a blood drive that registered more than 100 donors ready to save lives.

Their drive adds serious momentum to the Fighting Illini's run in the Abbott and Big Ten WE GIVE BLOOD Drive competition, where schools are competing for a one million dollar grant by registering the most donors this football season. Every single donation from the Sigma Chi drive scores another point for Illinois on the national leaderboard, all while helping ensure local hospital patients have the blood products they need.

Learn more about WE GIVE BLOOD here!

Corpuscle Shuffle 5K - One Week Away!

Being just a week out from the Corpuscle Shuffle means we can start to look at the weather forecast for the 8th annual 5K and 1-mile run/walk. It's a good one! After some rain during the middle of the week, we're expecting clear skies and temps in the low 60s for the 9:00AM. start on Saturday, October 3. 

For team members in the Quad Cities region, we hope you'll grab that ImpactLife sweatshirt and join your colleagues for a run, walk, or volunteering, plus a good time afterwards at our post-race party at Five Cities Brewery. (On the menu: chorizo, egg, and cheese breakfast burritos, hash browns, scrambled eggs, and fresh fruit.) 

For those farther away, the "sleep in" registration option is a great way to score a race T-shirt and still support the cause. Funds raised through registration and sponsorships support ImpactLife's LifeSavings grant program for K-12 schools that host blood drives.

Register at bloodcenter.org/5K or sign up to volunteer via SignUpGenius.

"I'm a Miracle."

When Vincent Clayton was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, blood transfusions became a lifeline. Now in remission, Vincent is giving back by leading a blood drive at Montessori Academy for Peace in Decatur, where he works as a teaching assistant.

Vincent’s story is a reminder that every pint collected at a blood drive can directly support patients fighting for their lives. Hosting a drive is one of the most impactful ways to help families like his.

National Human Resources Professionals Day

The best support requires the best support staff!

September 26th marks National HR Professionals Day - and we are highlighting the crucial work and impact of our Human Resources and Volunteer Resources team! Our HR/VR team, comprised of 14 hard-working individuals, Put Good Into the World by ensuring each team member, department, and volunteer is equipped with the support to carry out our mission: saving lives by providing blood products and services to communities in need.

The contribution each HR/VR professional brings with their experience and expertise cannot be understated – and this commitment to every employee helps make our organization great. We appreciate you!

From left: Cali Milligan (Benefits Coordinator), Janel Boelens (Employee Relations Manager), Maggie Wooldridge (Talent Acquisition Manager), Ashly Hubner (Payroll Coordinator), Amber Smith (Manager, Payroll and HRIS), Tammy Lewis (Talent Acquisition Specialist), MariaElena Martinez (Employee Engagement Coordinator), Ashley Thomsen (Talent Acquisition Coordinator), Jennifer Feeney (VP, Human Resources), Katy Joyce (Employee Benefits and Leave Administration Manager), Annetta Bogner (Talent Acquisition Specialist), Laura Bewley (Volunteer Resources Coordinator), Renee Troutner (Talent Acquisition Specialist), and Leticia Nelson (Lead Volunteer Resources Coordinator).

From left: Cali Milligan (Benefits Coordinator), Janel Boelens (Employee Relations Manager), Maggie Wooldridge (Talent Acquisition Manager), Ashly Hubner (Payroll Coordinator), Amber Smith (Manager, Payroll and HRIS), Tammy Lewis (Talent Acquisition Specialist), MariaElena Martinez (Employee Engagement Coordinator), Ashley Thomsen (Talent Acquisition Coordinator), Jennifer Feeney (VP, Human Resources), Katy Joyce (Employee Benefits and Leave Administration Manager), Annetta Bogner (Talent Acquisition Specialist), Laura Bewley (Volunteer Resources Coordinator), Renee Troutner (Talent Acquisition Specialist), and Leticia Nelson (Lead Volunteer Resources Coordinator).

THANK THE DONOR

"The woman receiving this unit of O+ blood is receiving her first transfusion of blood since 1974. She has given blood many times throughout her life and cried with gratefulness upon receiving the first drop.

Thank you to the person giving of themselves to help my Mom in her fight. Bless you!"

***

Donors rarely get to see the other side of their gift. Thank the Donor changes that, providing a simple way for patients to share their gratitude with the people who donated the blood that helped save a life. With just a quick note, we help close the loop and remind donors that their generosity truly matters.

THANK THE DONOR
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Jennifer Stewart

Training & Development Coordination, Donor Services | Urbana, IA

Jennifer Stewart, Training & Development Coordination, Donor Services | Urbana, IA

Time at ImpactLife
15.5 years

Blood Type
A Positive

What runs through your veins?
An overabundance of Blessings!

What's your favorite thing about being part of our team?
Playing my part in providing new hires with some of the tools and knowledge they need for success and then watching them grow.

When you are not at work you can be found?
At one of my grandkid's athletic events, or camping!
 

15 Years of Service

Feel-Good News is published every Friday to inspire + connect our ImpactLife team.

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