News Release April 24, 2006

Bonfils Blood Center Honors Southern Colorado Life-Savers
Six outstanding volunteers presented with special awards

For more information contact:
Julie Scott 303.361.2873
Bonfils Blood Center

PUEBLO (April 24, 2006) - Bonfils Blood Center hosted its third annual southern Colorado appreciation reception for multi-gallon blood donors, apheresis donors, marrow donors, volunteers, financial benefactors and community partners at the Sange De Cristo Arts & Conference Center in Pueblo on Monday, April 24.

Bonfils’ new CEO Tom Puckett and Medical Director Dr. Michael Bauer presented the following six awards to outstanding community members:

• Community Partner Award – The Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce
  The Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce endorsed a yearlong partnership with Bonfils in 2005 to help raise awareness about the importance of blood donation and increase the number of donors in Pueblo County. Because the chamber is comprised of leaders from some of the county’s businesses this partnership led to new businesses hosting blood drives and the enhancement of existing blood drives through increased public awareness about the need for blood donations.
  
  
• Outstanding College Blood Drive Award – Fort Carson Postwide
  Bonfils Blood Center resumed hosting blood drives at Fort Carson in 2003 when the Department of Defense lifted a ban on civilian blood collection agencies, like Bonfils, from collecting blood on a military site. Growing steadily since that time, the dedicated Fort Carson staff grew the number of collected units by 167 from 2004 to 2005, an increase of 242 percent.
  
  
• Volunteer Blood Drive Liaison of the Year Award – Beverly Wood
  Beverly Wood has served as a volunteer blood drive liaison for the Gunnison community since 1999. In 2005, her passionate service and dedication helped Bonfils collect 420 units of blood. In addition, she hosted the inaugural “Gunnison City versus County Employee Challenge” last September which collected more than 100 units.
  
  
• Youth Service Award – Tyler Gerk
  Tyler Gerk serves as the volunteer blood drive liaison for Cotopaxi High School. In 2005, his leadership helped recruit more than half of the school’s eligible student population as blood donors. Tyler hopes to see Cotopaxi High School receive the “Small High School Champion” award for the High School Student Body Challenge in the future.
  
  
• Outstanding Blood Drive Growth – Colorado State University - Pueblo
  Colorado State University – Pueblo began hosting blood drives in 1991 and since that time the program has grown to host five drives and collect more than 220 units per year. Liaison Duane Brown has been instrumental in promoting and growing this drive by garnering strong support from both students and staff. In 2005, the school hosted a blood drive in conjunction with a hurricane Katrina relief effort to collect food, clothes, monetary donations – and blood – to support the Gulf Coast Region.
  
  
• Bonfils Blood Center Foundation Leadership Award – Carol King
  A staunch advocate of the foundation’s work, King promoted Bonfils’ fundraising efforts within the southern Colorado business community and encouraged individuals to participate in fundraising events. She is an outstanding role model for the community.
  
  

Bonfils Blood Center supplies blood to more than 200 healthcare facilities and needs to collect 4,350 blood donations weekly to meet the needs of the community and to be prepared for any unexpected events. For information about scheduling a blood donation or hosting a blood drive, please visit www.bonfils.org or call 719.253.5951.