West Bend woman who donated blood 115 times wins brand new car

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) --  A West Bend woman was selected to win a brand new car after going in for her routine blood donation.

Judy Krepsky is considered a rarity. She is an O negative, universal blood type. She has donated her blood 115 times so far.

"There's so many things that I'd like to do, that I can't, to help out. This is something that all of us who qualify can do and it's definitely needed. We can't manufacture the blood. It can't be gotten in any other way," Krepsky said.

Since college, she has been going in to donate about every two months. When she donated through Versiti earlier this month, that's when she was entered in a drawing to win the car.

"At the time, I didn't even know the sweepstakes was going on, so that's why it was such a surprise," she said.

Wednesday she picked up her brand new Honda HRV at Russ Darrow Honda in Milwaukee.

"For someone like Judy to get this recognition today, and win this car sweepstakes, is a fantastic achievement," Gitesh Dubal said.

Gitesh Dubal is the vice president of Versiti. He said the blood center needs more people like Judy, as donations run scarce.

"Donor fatigue is real. People are tired of the pandemic and so we're trying to appeal to our donors in different ways," he said.

About 15-thousand people in Wisconsin donated blood during the sweepstakes that started in December.

"Anybody who donated through this time period was eligible," he said.

Dubal said Judy has saved about 300 lives so far and hopes more people like her will donate.