What Is the Donation Celebration?

The Donation Celebration (or the Thankquet, for Arkansas donors) is an annual banquet where we celebrate our incredible blood donors! Donors who have hit certain donation milestones or achievements are invited to a celebration, which includes a catered meal, special recognition, and a time of sharing stories about how your blood donations made an incredible difference.

How Do I Get Invited to the Donation Celebration?

There are two main ways that blood donors can get invited to the annual Donation Celebration (or the Thankquet for Arkansas donors). You can either be invited through Lifetime Milestones, or you can be invited by reaching specific Annual Achievements.

Lifetime Milestones

When you hit 50, 100, 160, or 400 lifetime-donations, you’ll get invited to the Donation Celebration and receive a special recognition pin!

Bronze
50 Lifetime Donations

Silver
100 Lifetime Donations

Hall of Fame
160 Lifetime Donations

Diamond
400 Lifetime Donations

Annual Achievements

Donors also get invited to the Donation Celebration if they donate a specific amount of times within the previous calendar year.

For donors that have reached the Hall of Fame or Diamond Donor milestones, you just have to donate one time in the previous calendar year to be invited to the Donation Celebration.

For donors who have not achieved Hall of Fame or Diamond milestones, here are the donation requirements to be invited:

Donate Whole Blood 5 Times in a Year

Donate Double Red 2 Times in a Year

Donate Plasma 6 Times in a Year

Donate Platelets 10 Times in a Year

Want to Be Invited? Donate Today!

It’s never too late to start donating and helping to save the lives of local patients, and working towards a banquet invitation is a great perk, too! No matter what blood product you decide to donate, you’ll be making an incredible difference in your community.

Click below to find a donation center or mobile drive near you and make an appointment today!

Donation Celebration FAQs

1. When looking at lifetime donation milestones, how are donations calculated?

Lifetime donation milestones are based on the number of products given at each donation.  For example, a triple-platelet donation would count for three products donated. A double platelet/red cell donation would also count as three products donated, while a standard whole blood donation would count as one product donated, and so on.

2. What happens if I changed what kind of blood product I was donating in the middle of the year? Can I still be invited to the Donation Celebration?

Yes! If you change the type of donation you give at our request, you will not be penalized. We will count your donations fairly and make sure you get invited to the banquet if you would have otherwise hit the annual achievement thresholds.

3. I think I hit an achievement level to be invited to the Donation Celebration, but I did not get invited. What should I do?

If you believe that you have hit the necessary threshold to be invited to the Donation Celebration, but did not receive an invitation to the banquet, please contact us! You can reach us at 417-227-5006, or you can fill out our contact form.

4. What is the dress code for the Donation Celebration?

There is no specific dress code for the Donation Celebration. Some of our donors dress casually, while others dress more formally to mark the occasion.

5. What if I have special dietary restrictions?

When you RSVP, there will be a section that asks about dietary restrictions. We have vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and alpha-gal-friendly options. If you have other dietary restrictions, you can also select “other” and tell us exactly what your restrictions are.

6. How can I check my progress towards being invited to the Donation Celebration?

Fill our contact form, and we will get back with you as soon as possible. You can also call 417-227-5006 during business hours.

7. Do you offer ADA accommodations at the Donation Celebration?

We strive to take proactive steps to comply with the ADA, but we understand that your request may have specific needs. If you need an ADA accommodation, please let us know on the RSVP form in the designated area, and please contact us directly. Then, we can discuss your specific needs so that you can enjoy the Donation Celebration to the fullest!