Cortland Blood Donor Receives Pleasant Surprise as Peanuts™ Contest Winner

When Natalie Travis made plans to donate blood on April 28 at the Cortland (NY) Community blood drive, little did she know the surprise that was eventually in store. 

To be sure, the McGraw, NY resident likely knew of the Peanuts/Snoopy ™ t-shirt incentive for those who showed up to donate, and which had gone viral, but she was not aware of an even bigger incentive that was there as well. 

As part of a national promotion, and thanks to the generosity of Peanuts Worldwide – one of the many partners who offer incentives to support Red Cross blood donations – Natalie emerged as the winner of  the Red Cross’  2023 Sonoma County Trip Giveaway. All who came to give blood in April were automatically entered for a chance to win a three-night trip for two to Sonoma County, California. The Getaway includes flights, hotel, $1,000 gift card and special tours of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Snoopy’s Home Ice, courtesy of Peanuts Worldwide. Natalie and her family departed for their trip on July 5.

Any national contest means that the odds of winning are long, so it is somewhat fitting that Natalie won since her blood type is also rare.  In fact, the desire to know her blood type is what drove her to be a blood donor as a young adult.

"I started giving blood when I was 17,” she said. “I always wanted to know my blood type and I knew if I gave blood I would find out.  I found out that I was type AB-, which is really rare.”

When she found out she had a blood type that was in high demand, Natalie made it a point to be a regular donor.

“I tried to do it a couple of times a year until I had my son.  He’s five now, so it had been that many years until I donated again.”

That April donation in Cortland was the first since her son was born, and it turned out to be a mutually beneficial return….especially when she found out she won the Sonoma trip.

“At first I was really shocked because I was only going to give blood (not knowing about the promotion). Then I started having regular communication with Adam (Adam Turner, a Red Cross staffer) and thought it was really cool.  I told my son, and he was really excited because he has never flown before, and he likes anything with motors.”

So, what would Natalie say to anyone who has not considered donating blood, or might be nervous about the prospect of doing so?

“Any experience that I’ve had, I find the people collecting blood to be really good at what they do. It doesn’t take very long and your blood could help a lot of people.”