Are you an organ donor?
Only 45% of people in Chatham-Kent are registered organ donors, something the owner of Ridgetown Foodland wants to change.
Pierre Monette has launched a contest through the website, www.bigtripgiveaway.com.
"You just go to the website, register on there to be a part of the contest, you could win one of five great prizes donated by our sponsors. Once you register it will send you back to the www.beadonor.ca website, where, right there, you can take two minutes to register to be a donor."
Prizes include a trip to Cuba, a Caribbean cruise, a weekend in Las Vegas, a $1,000 gift certificate to Ridgetown Foodland, and a pair of tickets and hotel to a Red Wings game in Detroit.
Monette says people who are already registered organ donors can also enter the contest, and it doesn't matter how old you are.
"The oldest person to donate tissue was over 100, the oldest person to donate an organ was over 90. You're never too old to be an organ donor. Also, some people think that back in the day they signed that green card when they got their driver's licence, and put it in their wallet thinking they're an organ donor, and that's not the case. You have to go online to register."
Currently in Ontario there are over 1,500 people waiting for a life saving transplant. One of them die every three days waiting, and provincially, only 32% of eligible donors are registered in Ontario. 1 donor can save up to 8 lives.
"There's a lot of things we can change in the world, and this is one that I feel I can actually make a change," says Monette. "I'm taking whatever steps necessary to make that happen."
The contest is open to all Ontario residents, and closes at the end of February.
