WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO JOIN THE BOARD?
Our family has experienced the loss of family and friends to both cancer and sudden cardiac death. That inspired us to join the board with Mary Brook and Cindy Schneider, who we had known while serving on the board of another non-profit. When Mary invited us to the Voices of Hope Series Lunch & Learn in April of 2017, Becky Cap, the Chief Operating Officer of GenCure, was the guest speaker. We were fascinated by GenCure’s regenerative medicine and cellular therapy developments. In January 2018, our good friends Cindy and David Schneider shared more about the mission of the Foundation and invited us to join the board.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO?
We enjoy traveling, cooking, gardening, golfing and many activities with our five children and six grandchildren.
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?
In 2007, Holli lost her stepfather to a massive heart attack in the emergency room of a small-town hospital before he could be airlifted to a major medical center. Since he passed away in the hospital, we were asked if we would consider tissue donation, and were told he would be eligible to donate bone, tissue and corneas. As upsetting as that time was for us, turning loss into a life-transforming gift for others helped us cope with the tragedy of his sudden death. Since then, we have been advocates for increasing community awareness of organ and tissue donation, blood donation, and just doing whatever we can to give back to our community.
IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR TIME ON THE BOARD YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?
We have enjoyed making new friends on the board, working on the Red & White Ball Committee for the last two years, and helping to promote blood drives and other events of The Foundation. Recently, in response to the lack of available blood donors and increased demand for blood supply during the COVID-19 pandemic, we organized blood drives in April and May at our church, which brought in 24 first-time donors and 91 pints of blood. Holli has challenged her co-workers to give blood and we schedule regular blood donations. Since joining the Foundation Board, we have developed a greater understanding and appreciation for the lifesaving mission of this wonderful organization.
