Who We Are
Ever wondered who volunteers for LifeServe Blood Center?
LifeServe Blood Center is a non-profit, volunteer supported, regional source for blood products. Volunteers are a vital part of achieving our mission of saving lives in partnership with the communities we serve. By volunteering your time and talents, you are a part of the lifesaving link that delivers blood to patients in need. That you take pride in knowing that your time is as vital to us as a blood donation.
So, WHO are we? Why are we here?
Tom Zimmerman began his “career” as a volunteer driver with LifeServe in February, 2011. He has continued to volunteer every Wednesday afternoon delivering blood to Des Moines area hospital patients.
This year, his work here and our mission of saving lives hit close to home when his granddaughter was diagnosed with a cancer called T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Megan, age 12, hadn’t been feeling well for some time. Her family thought that she probably had mono. They were shocked to learn that she has T-cell ALL ~ which is a type of blood cancer, that starts from white blood cells in the bone marrow. Megan
received blood products as part of her treatment. In June, Megan got a tour of LifeServe’s lab and component area prior to traveling to Minnesota for a bone morrow transplant as part of her treatment. Her brother, Noah, was a perfect match for this transplant. Megan got to come home this month to continue treatments and healing. She is looking forward to returning to school, 4-H, mock trial, band, chorus, and more this winter!
Beyond donating blood, delivering blood to hospital patients, and spending time with his four grandkids, Tom and his wife Lola help with the Living History Farms garage sale. Thank you for all you do for our organization, Tom!
Warren Pitcher is one of LifeServe’s many dedicated volunteer drivers. Warren began driving for the organization in 2000. Now, he drives every week on Wednesdays or Thursdays, often to Fort Dodge, Ames, Mason City or mobiles across the state. After a few years, Warren began to record every mile he drove for LifeServe. In 2013 alone, Warren travelled more than 20,000 miles across Iowa delivering blood and supplies! Way to go, Warren!
Warren is a retired DMACC professor of business. While Warren loved education, he is loving retirement even more. He keeps busy golfing at courses across Iowa, and spending time with his children and grandchildren. Warren also enjoys traveling. He recently visited Ireland with his son and hopes to travel to Africa next year. He frequently takes cruises around the globe with friends and family.
Warren is a huge advocate for LifeServe, recruiting volunteers and dedicating much of his own time to the organization. Thank you, Warren, for all you do!
Wanda Sellmeyer began volunteering with LifeServe after she retired in 2009. Wanda greets donors and answers questions at the Des Moines Donor Center front desk every Wednesday morning before the center opens. She also updates information for volunteers, handles blood drive surveys, and keeps the community calendar up?to?date. Wanda is also the chairperson of two blood drives in Granger each year. She is a fantastic advocate and volunteer for LifeServe and is willing to lend a hand wherever she can.
LifeServe has always held a special place in Wanda’s heart. Her granddaughter, Kinsey, needed blood transfusions as an infant to survive. Kinsey, now 14, is alive and healthy thanks to blood donations. Wanda is unable to donate blood so she sees volunteering as her way of giving back to the organization that saved her granddaughter.
Wanda keeps busy with her four grandchildren and many hours spent volunteering. Outside of her numerous LifeServe duties, Wanda volunteers at Methodist West Hospital in West Des Moines at the welcome desk and at Iowa Public Television. Her selfless commitment to serving others and her community is amazing. Thank you, Wanda, for all you do!
Terry Slickers lives a retired, but busy life. He currently volunteers with LifeServe as a driver in Waterloo. Terry signed up to volunteer when a LifeServe Donor Services Team Member asked him during his blood donation. He agreed and has been driving for about two years. Terry drives a lot more in the winter because many volunteers travel to warmer climates. Once they return, he lets them have more of the volunteer time.
Terry is a retired Waterloo police officer. In addition to LifeServe, Terry goes with a group to the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown and plays bingo with them. He has seven grandchildren to keep him busy, while also taking time to bowl, fish, play horseshoes and league pool. Thank you Terry for all of your hard work and dedication!
Ray Johnson is a driver for LifeServe. He currently resides in Des Moines and has been helping LifeServe for nine years. Ray began volunteering after he saw an article in a Westside Shopper. He was already retired at the time, so he thought volunteering would be a good way to spend his time. Ray continues to help because it gives him something to do while also allowing him to “...make a difference in the lives of complete strangers you don't even know and you probably won't ever meet. It feels good to help," Ray said.
Ray retired in 2002 from designing systems and programing computers. He started back in the 60s when it was all mainframe stuff because PCs didn’t exist yet. Now Ray spends his days volunteering for LifeServe and attending his grandchildren's sporting events. Thank you Ray - You are a valuable asset to LifeServe Blood Center!
This month we’re meeting Lolane Smith, a driver in Des Moines! Lolane started donating blood in 1974, so he already had an idea about how valuable LifeServe was and how valuable the people who worked there were. He wanted something to do once he stopped helping with Boy Scouts, so while donating, he asked how he could start volunteering. He was directed to Carly Nelson and started driving for us in the summer of 2013.
Lolane really likes the work he does. “I enjoy driving and this is a great cause.”
In addition to LifeServe, Lolane also volunteers at his church and works full-time for John Deere. He’s a supervisor in a parts procurement group for the experimental shop. Lolane is married and has two grown children, a son and a daughter. In his free time, Lolane enjoys gardening and he wants to get back into fishing.
“I really enjoy the employees and other volunteers at LifeServe. They are all treasures,” Lolane said.
Thank you Lolane for dedicating your time to drive and donate blood. We all truly appreciate you!