F. Warren Pitcher, a senior volunteer with The Blood Center of Iowa, has been selected as the recipient of the Humana Starlight Award, honoring the efforts of senior citizens who volunteer in the Des Moines area. In recognition of his service, Humana (NYSE: HUM) awarded a one-time, $10,000 grant to The Blood Center of Iowa.

Pitcher has provided exceptional dedication by being a lifelong blood donor, blood drive organizer, and transportation volunteer for The Blood Center of Iowa.  Throughout his lifetime, Pitcher has donated more than nine gallons of blood which has helped more than 200 hospital patients.  Additionally, his leadership as a blood drive organizer for his church sponsored blood drives over the last nine years has impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients by assisting The Blood Center in the collection of more than 100,000 units of blood annually.  When Pitcher is not busy giving blood or organizing blood drives, he volunteers his time to help transport the precious resource of blood to hospitals across the state of Iowa.

“We cannot begin to quantify the number of people in our community who have benefitted from Warren’s volunteer efforts over the last nine years,” said Stacy Sime, President of The Blood Center of Iowa. “He is a role model for all of our volunteers. He shows his dedication each and every time he rolls up his sleeve to give blood and also by his commitment to the mission of The Blood Center through his efforts of organizing blood drives and transporting blood to the community hospitals. His support is truly immeasurable.”

Every two seconds, someone needs blood and the rarest type is often the one not available when a patient needs it. The Blood Center provides blood products and transfusion services to 46 hospitals in 44 Iowa counties. The center serves 1.2 million Iowans.  Pitcher's volunteerism, either as a blood donor, blood drive organizer or delivery driver has literally impacted the lives of millions of patients during his service by transporting blood products to hospitals in the community.

“I am thrilled to receive this award,” says Pitcher. “I feel honored to be recognized for my efforts, but truly my joy comes from knowing that I'm helping someone in our community. I truly believe that blood donation saves lives and I am happy to be able to be a part of this great program in our community.”

“Warren is a lifesaver in his community and we applaud him for his outstanding volunteerism,” said Scott Hannon, Director of Humana MarketPOINT in Iowa. “His dedication to answering the needs of others shows us that a single volunteer can have a tremendous community impact. We’re proud to present him with the Humana Starlight Award. We’re also pleased to know that The Blood Center of Iowa will receive the $10,000 grant to strengthen its mission to help people desperately in need of blood.”

Non-profit organizations throughout the Des Moines area nominated their top senior citizen volunteers for the 2009 Humana Starlight Award. Nominees are evaluated on the dedication and leadership they have demonstrated, as well as the impact their volunteer efforts have had on others in the community.

Humana, one of Iowa’s leading providers of Medicare Advantage health plans and prescription drug plans, created the Starlight Award to honor an exceptional senior citizen volunteer, as well as to provide financial support for a nonprofit organization whose good work benefits the community. The third annual Humana Starlight Award was presented at a special recognition ceremony Wednesday, Oct. 28 at the Sheraton West Des Moines Hotel. Humana also honored the giving spirit of the fifteen Starlight nominees, by presenting them with honorary certificates and pins.

The Humana Starlight Award began in Nebraska and is also now presented in Central Illinois, Des Moines, Grand Rapids, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. Anyone who is 65 years of age or older and has served as a volunteer for a nonprofit organization in Dallas, Guthrie, Madison, Polk and Warren counties is eligible for the Humana Starlight Award. To nominate a senior citizen volunteer, nonprofit organizations must be classified as a 501(c)(3) and serve the community in one of three areas:

• Mind: Organizations or institutions that seek to improve the educational landscape, resulting in higher levels of achievement
• Body: Organizations or human service agencies engaged in the promotion of healthy bodies and lifestyles
• Spirit: Civic & cultural development organizations that seek to inspire communities and enliven the human spirit

Although Humana is the sponsor of the award, a panel of local judges comprised of community and state government leaders, local executives and health care providers evaluated the applications and chose the award finalists and grand recipient. Judges assessed the dedication and leadership demonstrated by nominees, as well as the impact their volunteer efforts has on others in the community.

Many nonprofit organizations, including those that assist seniors and provide health care, education and other important programming, depend on corporate support to meet the needs of those they serve.

According to a recent survey by the Conference Board, however, more than 60 percent of companies have either reduced their giving or plan to during 2009. By offering the Starlight Award program to communities across Des Moines, Humana hopes to help tilt the scale in the other direction.