$70,000 of Incentives to Donate Blood
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ken Littrell said the idea came to him on a vacation and when he returned to Lexington, he decided to put it into action.
Six years later, the owner of Clean Sweep Car Wash, has seen his notion grow into Clean Sweep Donor Round Up, a major event for the Kentucky Blood Center that is expected to generate nearly 900 blood donors in the first week of April.
All told, nearly 90 businesses are supporting Littrell’s plan this year, donating more than $70,000 in incentives to be awarded to blood donors in Fayette and Madison counties (communities supported by Clean Sweep Car Wash).
At the Lexington Donor Center in Beaumont Centre donors will receive:
- a coupon for a free Clean Sweep Car Wash (a $25 value)
- a goodie bag filled with coupons and gifts from area businesses
- a chance to win daily prizes.
Donors at blood drives in Fayette and Madison counties also will receive the free car washes and be in daily drawings for a wide range of prizes.
“Ken is the mastermind behind Donor Round Up, and is dedicated to ensuring its success,” said William S. Reed, KBC president & CEO. “This is an example of an individual stepping forward to provide leadership and involve others in the business of saving lives.”
Littrell frees up his accounting manager Linda Tipton to make hundreds of calls and knock on dozens of doors to ask other businesses for donations for goodie bags and prizes. Littrell also purchases several of the big prizes himself. This year he is providing several overnight stays at Great Wolf Lodge in Cincinnati and Gatlinburg.
Donor Round Up began as a summertime blood drive, but this year it was moved to April to help alleviate projected blood shortages due to spring break – a time when schools are not hosting blood drives and donors are frequently vacationing and not available to donate.
To publicly thank Littrell for his support, Kentucky Blood Center named him its 2007 National Philanthropy Day honoree.
The Kentucky Blood Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring a safe, adequate blood supply for patients at nearly 70 Kentucky hospitals and clinics in more than 60 counties.