HR1547 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1547 LRB099 24277 MST 52015 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Rev. Donald J. Nevins on receiving the 2016 Most Dedicated Blood Drive Coordinator of the Year from the Illinois Coalition of Community Blood Centers; and

WHEREAS, Father Nevins started coordinating blood drives at St. Francis of Assisi Parish back in 2000; since 2008, he has coordinated drives for St. Agnes of Bohemia Parish, where he serves as pastor; and

WHEREAS, Father Nevins understands that in order for people to be encouraged to donate blood, they must appreciate its importance, and he makes sure to dedicate time during Mass each week to this message so that it can be delivered clearly to his congregation; and

WHEREAS, St. Agnes has a large Latino membership, and the work of Father Nevins in promoting blood donations to the Latino community is invaluable; though Latinos make up 17% of the United States population, they make up less than 3% of the blood donor base; and

WHEREAS, Father Nevins has been responsible for over 40 blood drives, each lasting over 12 hours; and

WHEREAS, Due to the efforts of Father Nevins, over 3000 units of blood have been collected, enough to save 12,000 lives; and

WHEREAS, The accomplishments of Father Nevins will be felt for years to come due to the critical role he plays in educating the youth in his parish, who often become lifetime donors because they started donating at a young age; and

WHEREAS, In 2016, Father Nevins was nominated by LifeSource as the "Most Dedicated Blood Drive Coordinator" in a statewide competition hosted by the Illinois Coalition of Community Blood Centers; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend Rev. Donald J. Nevins for his commitment to insuring a healthy blood supply in his community; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rev. Nevins as an expression of our esteem and respect.