Mountain View, Missouri – December 26, 2025 – Start the new year by making a lifesaving commitment. Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO) invites you to take the 56-Day Challenge in 2026. Give blood, save lives, repeat and you could win up to $56,000 in Visa gift cards, sponsored by Adam Swenka with Flat Branch Home Loans and The Giving Branch.
Community Blood Center of the Ozarks donors provide all the blood for patients at Mercy Hospital St. Francis, as well as more than 40 health care facilities across the Ozarks. Mountain View area residents will have the opportunity to donate on Friday, January 2 at Mountain View Community Center, 125 E. 1st Street, Mountain View. Drive hours are 12:30 PM to 5:30 PM.
Successful donors will receive a cozy crewneck sweatshirt while supplies last. Donors can also take the “56-Day Challenge” to have a chance to win up to $56,000.00 in VISA gift cards, thanks to a generous donation from the Adam Swenka Team at Flat Branch Home Loans and The Giving Branch.
To Participate:
- Register online by February 28 at www.cbco.org/2026-56-day/
- Donate whole blood at any CBCO donor center or blood drives throughout 2026
There will be 11 monthly prize drawings starting in March 2026 and continuing through January 2027. The more times you donate in 2026, the more entries you earn and the more money you could win, up to $56,000.
“This challenge is all about encouraging donors to give more frequently,” said Michelle Teter, CBCO Media Relations Representative. “The average donor gives less than twice a year when they can safely give whole blood six times a year. If everyone who donates gave just one extra time, that could help prevent local blood shortages.” Teter shared how easy it is for all donors to turn their good deeds into the chance to win big. “All you have to do is register by Feb. 28 to say, “Challenge accepted”. Your chance to win starts with your first donation in 2026. Give blood, save lives, then repeat to increase your odds.
For sponsor Adam Swenka of Flat Branch Home Loans, the mission is personal. His daughter, Joselina, needed lifesaving blood transfusions as a newborn. Today, she’s thriving thanks to donors who gave selflessly. “You never know when someone you love will need blood,” Swenka said. “This challenge is about making sure the blood is there for other patients like Joselina. What if someone hadn’t decided to take an hour out of their day to selflessly give the gift of life? Our goal is to make the decision to give blood an easy one and then give our generous donors some incentive to do it again and again.”
To help avoid wait times, appointments are strongly encouraged. Donors can schedule an appointment at https://www.cbco.org/donate-blood/ or by calling 417-227-5006.
