Remembering Luke: ‘Donate Life’ emphasized at ceremonies

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WILMINGTON — The Board of Clinton County Commissioners held a special meeting at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Courthouse flag pole near the corner of South South and Sugartree Streets to proclaim April 2021 as Donate Life Month.

After reading the proclamation, Clinton County Commissioners President Mike McCarty presented it to the Tom and Shelby LaPine Family, whose late son Luke was an organ donor.

At the same gathering on Courthouse Square, a Donate Life flag was raised up the pole, encouraging awareness and recognizing the importance of donations of organs, tissue, and blood.

Among the 25 people present was Bill Repp, who received Luke’s heart seven years ago in a transplant operation.

Shelby LaPine remarked that with Bill there, “Luke’s heart is with us.”

At one point Bill said of the donation and transplant, “It was a godsend. It was a bittersweet thing, you know.”

Luke was working with the Clinton County Highway Department when he suffered severe head trauma on the job on June 9, 2014 from a fall off a truck. He was 19 and had just graduated from East Clinton High School and intended to go to college in California with the goal of becoming a Los Angeles Police Department detective.

Shelby said Tuesday that Luke’s organ donations have resulted in “seven direct saves,” and with his donated tissue and eyes almost 70 people have been impacted.

Also in the group at the flagpole were staffers from Life Center Organ Donor Network in Cincinnati, which facilitates organ and tissue donations in the region. Shelby, an advocate for organ and tissue donation, has volunteered with them.

After the completion of the ceremony, Shelby and Tom LaPine, Bill Repp, as well as officials from Clinton Memorial Hospital and from the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center held a similar flag-raising ceremony at the Boyd Center.

National Donate Life Month was established by Donate Life America and its partnering organizations in 2003.

Observed in April each year, National Donate Life Month helps to encourage Americans to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and to honor those that have saved lives through the gift of donation.

For more information, visit https://www.donatelife.net/ndlm/ .

Shelby LaPine, the mother of organ donor Luke LaPine, hugs Bill Repp, the recipient of Luke’s heart.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_hug.jpgShelby LaPine, the mother of organ donor Luke LaPine, hugs Bill Repp, the recipient of Luke’s heart.

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_composite-graphic.jpgGary Huffenberger | News Journal donatelife.net

The Donate Life flag is raised Tuesday afternoon at the Clinton County Courthouse.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_flag.jpgThe Donate Life flag is raised Tuesday afternoon at the Clinton County Courthouse. Gary Huffenberger | News Journal donatelife.net

Sherrie Stoops provides special music during Donate Life flag-raising ceremony at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0393.jpgSherrie Stoops provides special music during Donate Life flag-raising ceremony at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital. John Hamilton | News Journal

Lance Beus, CEO of Clinton Memorial Hospital, speaks at the Donate Life flag-raising ceremony at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0416.jpgLance Beus, CEO of Clinton Memorial Hospital, speaks at the Donate Life flag-raising ceremony at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital. John Hamilton | News Journal

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_mom_recipient.jpgJohn Hamilton | News Journal

Locals gather for the flag-raising ceremony for Donate Life at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0420.jpgLocals gather for the flag-raising ceremony for Donate Life at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital. John Hamilton | News Journal

Barry Massa, Executive Director of LifeCenter Organ Donor Network, speaks at the Donate Life flag-raising ceremony at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0427.jpgBarry Massa, Executive Director of LifeCenter Organ Donor Network, speaks at the Donate Life flag-raising ceremony at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital. John Hamilton | News Journal

Lesley Wininger, CNO of Clinton Memorial Hospital, speaks about Danielle Smith, an administrative assistant for CMH, who passed away suddenly in 2020 and was an advocate for organ donation.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0439.jpgLesley Wininger, CNO of Clinton Memorial Hospital, speaks about Danielle Smith, an administrative assistant for CMH, who passed away suddenly in 2020 and was an advocate for organ donation. John Hamilton | News Journal

Tom, left, and Shelby LaPine speak to the attendees of the Donate Life flag-raising ceremony on Tuesday about their son Luke who was an organ donor.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0451.jpgTom, left, and Shelby LaPine speak to the attendees of the Donate Life flag-raising ceremony on Tuesday about their son Luke who was an organ donor. John Hamilton | News Journal

Veronica Grabill, Chaplain and volunteer coordinator at CMH, gives the benediction at the Donate Life flag-raising ceremony at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0473.jpgVeronica Grabill, Chaplain and volunteer coordinator at CMH, gives the benediction at the Donate Life flag-raising ceremony at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital. John Hamilton | News Journal

The parents of Luke LaPine, along with Bill Repp watch the Donate Life flag being raised on the flag pole at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0489.jpgThe parents of Luke LaPine, along with Bill Repp watch the Donate Life flag being raised on the flag pole at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital. John Hamilton | News Journal

The parents of Luke LaPine, along with Bill Repp watch the Donate Life flag being raised on the flag pole at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0500.jpgThe parents of Luke LaPine, along with Bill Repp watch the Donate Life flag being raised on the flag pole at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital. John Hamilton | News Journal

The parents of Luke LaPine, along with Bill Repp watch the Donate Life flag being raised on the flag pole at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0502.jpgThe parents of Luke LaPine, along with Bill Repp watch the Donate Life flag being raised on the flag pole at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital. John Hamilton | News Journal

The parents of Luke LaPine, as well as Bill Repp, watch the Donate Life flag rise up the flag pole at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0506.jpgThe parents of Luke LaPine, as well as Bill Repp, watch the Donate Life flag rise up the flag pole at the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center across from Clinton Memorial Hospital. John Hamilton | News Journal

The Donate Life flag on the pole outside the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0516-2.jpgThe Donate Life flag on the pole outside the Foster J. Boyd, M.D. Regional Cancer Center. John Hamilton | News Journal

Shelby, left, and Tom LaPine, right, stand next to Bill Repp who was the recipient of their son’s heart.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0464.jpgShelby, left, and Tom LaPine, right, stand next to Bill Repp who was the recipient of their son’s heart. John Hamilton | News Journal

Shelby, left, and Tom LaPine, parents of organ donor Luke LaPine, were the keynote speakers at the flag-raising ceremony for Donate Life on Tuesday at the CMH Cancer Center. Luke LaPine passed away shortly after graduating from East Clinton High School in 2014 and was an organ donor.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/04/web1_DSC_0445.jpgShelby, left, and Tom LaPine, parents of organ donor Luke LaPine, were the keynote speakers at the flag-raising ceremony for Donate Life on Tuesday at the CMH Cancer Center. Luke LaPine passed away shortly after graduating from East Clinton High School in 2014 and was an organ donor. John Hamilton | News Journal
‘Donate Life’ emphasized at ceremonies

By Gary Huffenberger

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