George Kimm and the value of donating blood
By The Bakersfield Californian
Yes, I remember George Kimm Jr., whose recent passing was noted in the Jan. 25 Community Voices article "George Kimm: Generous man who saved thousands" by Houchin Community Blood Bank CEO Greg Gallion. My wife, Bonnie, and I have talked with George several times in the "canteen" area at Houchin. Bonnie and I have become regular donors in recent years, but are nowhere near George's record. We are only in the five- to six-gallon club.
But what I want to add to Gallion's thoughts about George is an experience that I had that recognized the value of donating blood. I was fueling our car at a Costco station in Merced when a woman, unknown to me, acknowledged the Houchin license plate bracket on the rear of our car. She came across from an adjacent aisle and asked if I was the blood donor to whom the Houchin bracket referred. When I said that I was, she very enthusiastically thanked me for being a regular donor. She had had a recent experience that required frequent transfusions for nearly a year, and she was very glad that there are regular donors. So am I!
Jack West
Bakersfield
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