Hamilton County Clerk Bill Knowles thanks Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam for designating July 15-21, 2018, as Tennessee County Clerk Appreciation Week. Knowles said, “The Governor’s proclamation recognizes the 95 county clerks for their support of the Tennessee County Clerk Organ Donor Awareness Foundation.
Knowles is a founding Board member of the county clerk program.
He said, “County Clerk offices have collected more than five million dollars since the program was approved by the State Legislature in 1996.
“Tennessee Donate Life staff, donor families and transplant recipients will be visiting county clerk offices across the state this month to express their appreciation to clerks and staff.
“Motorists across the State who support the Donate a Dollar campaign when renewing or registering a vehicle are essentially helping to save and improve lives. The funds raised are vital to the Tennessee Donor Association’s effort to educate Tennesseans on the importance of registering to be an organ and tissue donor.
“It is also important to note that 98% of the Tennesseans who have registered as organ and tissue donors have done so when receiving or renewing their driver licenses or state IDs at Driver Services Centers. Currently, over 2.2 million Tennesseans are listed on the state registry.
“In 2017 Tennesseans saved 1,156 lives through organ transplantation and thousands more received life- improving tissue transplants. Presently, over 2,900 Tennesseans are recorded on the national organ transplant list.
“Donate Life Tennessee is maintained by the State’s two organ procurement organizations, Tennessee Donor Services and the Mid-South Transplant Foundation. A critical part of their mission is to ensure that Tennessee residents understand the importance of organ and tissue donation and register as donors”.
Jill Grandas, executive director of Tennessee Donor Services, said, “We are extremely grateful to each of them and the Tennessee County Clerk Organ Donor Awareness Foundation. I cannot overstate the impact our county clerks and their staffs have on saving the lives of people in Tennessee and across our nation.”
Mr. Knowles invited citizens interested in receiving more information about organ and tissue donation, or in registering as a donor, to visit www.DonateLifeTN.org