Source: ABC4, October 24, 2009
SALT LAKE CITY
(ABC 4 News) - Saturday is national make a difference day, and at Liberty Park in Salt Lake, hundreds of people did just that by pledging to become organ donors.
So many people signed up in such a short period of time, that they shattered a Guiness World Record. One of the organizers of today's event, Ryan Tripp is no stranger to the record books.
Back in 1997, when he was just 12 years old, Tripp set his first world record by riding his lawnmower for 42 days, traveling fromUtah to Washington DC to raise money for a four
month old girl who needed a liver transplant.
Tripp’s latest involvement with organ donation is as Executive Secretary for the Quest for the Gift of Life Foundation.
Saturday, his group spearheaded a mass sign-up event to break the previous world record of 1 hundred 43 donors in one day.
“We passed that record and we're just trying to pad it so no one beats our record,” Tripp said.
And pad it they did.
In just three hours.. 241 people volunteered to become organ donors, but Tripp says it isn't about numbers, but saving lives. That’s something he says most everyone can do.
“I know a lot of people say hey, they wouldn't want my organs, but you know everybody has a chance to give back and share life,” he said.
According to the Mayo Clinic, over 100,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant. That's about as many people as live in Sandy.
For more information about becoming a donor, to see if you are eligible, and to even sign up for yourself, log on to www.yesutah.org.
So many people signed up in such a short period of time, that they shattered a Guiness World Record. One of the organizers of today's event, Ryan Tripp is no stranger to the record books.
Back in 1997, when he was just 12 years old, Tripp set his first world record by riding his lawnmower for 42 days, traveling from
month old girl who needed a liver transplant.
Tripp’s latest involvement with organ donation is as Executive Secretary for the Quest for the Gift of Life Foundation.
Saturday, his group spearheaded a mass sign-up event to break the previous world record of 1 hundred 43 donors in one day.
“We passed that record and we're just trying to pad it so no one beats our record,” Tripp said.
And pad it they did.
In just three hours.. 241 people volunteered to become organ donors, but Tripp says it isn't about numbers, but saving lives. That’s something he says most everyone can do.
“I know a lot of people say hey, they wouldn't want my organs, but you know everybody has a chance to give back and share life,” he said.
According to the Mayo Clinic, over 100,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant. That's about as many people as live in Sandy.
For more information about becoming a donor, to see if you are eligible, and to even sign up for yourself, log on to www.yesutah.org.
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