Reporter: Ellie Mahan
February 23, 2022
Covington High School held a pep rally Wednesday, February 16, where Carter BloodCare and Classic Chevrolet Fleet and Commercial announced that Bryson Blalock, a Covington senior, had been randomly selected to win a 2021 Chevrolet Spark.
Blalock was chosen out of the 37,000 donors who gave to Carter BloodCare between Monday, November 22, and Friday, January 7. Donors were automatically entered in the drawing when they gave blood during the designated time frame.
Classic Fleet donated a car to boost donations during one of the most difficult times of the year for the community blood supply and during the ongoing pandemic.
Joel Blalock, principal of Covington High School, said, “We always want to give back to the community. We have been a big supporter of Carter BloodCare for a long time. We have a couple of blood drives a year. We want to establish the mindset in our kids of giving back to the community in any way they can.”
Roughly 25% of the blood collected through Carter BloodCare that goes to patients in our community comes from high school blood drives.
Veronica Moore, Vice President of Organizational Relations at Carter BloodCare, said, “The need for blood is constant. Patients waiting and needing those blood transfusions cannot wait on pandemic shut downs or summer vacations or holiday seasons. Those are the times when most of us have many other things to do, and it’s hard for us to find the time to come in and donate blood. That’s where Classic Fleet stepped up and wanted to support the local community and our blood supply to ensure that there is blood there when patients need it the most.”
The event recognized all of the students and faculty members who gave blood to Carter BloodCare.
At the pep rally, Brad Roblyer, General Sales Manager at Classic Fleet, said, “Classic Fleet is proud to be partners with Carter BloodCare for the second year in a row as part of the giveaway. We couldn’t be more proud of the partnership we have with them.”
Bryson Blalock said that he initially found it hard to believe that he won a car. “I felt like it was a con at first, so when I finally found out that it was real, I was excited,” he said.
To find a donor center or blood drive near you, call or text 800-366-2834 or visit the website CarterBloodCare.org.
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