Gift-of-Life Marathon Blood Drive organizer Steve Costello was
presented the 2010 American Red Cross Presidential Award for
Excellence today at a Washington ceremony. The Presidential Award
for Excellence is presented annually to employees and volunteers.
Costello has been a volunteer blood drive sponsor for 10 years at
Central Vermont Public Service, and conceived and co-organizes the
Gift-of-Life Marathon, the largest one-day blood drive in
northernNew England. The annual drive twice set New England
records, most recently collecting 1,024 pints in December 2009,
thoughBoston recently retook the record with a 1,177-unit drive
Sept. 11. Costello and event co-sponsor WJJR hope to reclaim the
record this winter.
"The Presidential Award for Excellence highlights Red Cross
volunteers and employees in three critical areas: mission
fulfillment, revenue generation and cost cutting," said Susan
Parmer, R.N., chief executive officer of the Red Cross' Northern
New England Region. "Together, these three areas represent the
heart of what great performance is all about at the Red Cross,
underscoring and recognizing actions that will sustain and grow
the organization for the future."
Costello is one of only three American Red Cross volunteers
nationwide to be recognized in this way.
"Steve continues to work tirelessly to engage theRutland,Vt.
community in supporting the Gift-of-LifeMarathon," Parmer said.
"Steve and CVPS have provided tremendous organizational support
and inspiration, and helped makeRutland and the
Gift-of-LifeMarathon one the Red Cross' great success stories
nationally."
"This award really honors the drive and compassion of the
entireRutland region," Costello said. "The Gift-of-LifeMarathon
belongs to the entire community, and grew to what it has become
because so many people invested their time and hearts in it. I'm
a little embarrassed to be singled out, because the drive would
be nothing without Terry Jaye and Nanci Gordon at WJJR, the
support of Bob Young and senior management at CVPS, and hundreds
of other people and businesses that play an integral part in it.
We struck a chord with this idea, but the community embraced it
and has surprised us every year with its willingness and ability
to stretch toward higher and higher goals."
The 2010 GOLM, set for Dec. 21 at the Paramount Theatre inRutland,
will be the eighth annual event. It began by collecting 368 pints
in 2003, and has grown steadily ever since. The 2010 goal will be
announced Nov. 3.