Register & Say Thank You When You Get Your License
Celebrate DMV Appreciation Month in September
By Ryeá O’Neill
September is National DMV Appreciation Month. It was created to thank all DMV partners and recognize staff for their commitment to the Donate Life mission. Did you know that 99% of Coloradans and Wyomingites register their decision to be an eye, organ and tissue donor when they get their driver license? Most people do not know that fact, but it is true.
Without the staff at the Driver License (or DMV) partners in Colorado and Wyoming working tirelessly every day to ask each person the donation question, there would not be new eye, organ and tissue donors joining the donor registry. And there are plenty of people in need of donors.
There are more than 100,000 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant in the United States and nearly 1,500 in our region. Thousands more wait for healing cornea and tissue transplants. The need is great and by joining the eye, organ, and tissue donor registry, you can give hope to those in need.
A simple “thank you” and a smile after you register your donation decision will go a long way with the staff. Often doing a thankless job, they face lines of customers daily without appreciation for what they truly do.
How Else Can I Show My Appreciation?
There are many other great ways to show your appreciation for the DMV staff in Colorado and Wyoming. You don’t have to wait until September to say, ‘Thank You.” They work all year, and you could stop by at any time and give thanks in person.- Consider sharing your personal story with them. Many of us have a connection to donation and transplantation or we know someone who does. Share that story with the DMV staff in a handwritten letter. The staff love hearing those stories and seeing how their work affects their communities firsthand.
- Give the staff a shout out on social! In our fast-paced world there’s nothing quite like an awesome review on social media these days. Remembering a staff member by name and that they asked you the donation question and how much it meant to you goes a long way to supporting the cause and making that staff member’s day!
These are just a few ideas to get you started appreciating your local DMV staff. Remember these individuals are part of your local community. They walk your streets, their kids play in your parks, they shop at your grocery store, they are just like you. They work hard every day and take pride in their work. The DMV staff are an integral link in the chain of saving and healing lives through donation and transplantation.
Thinking About Donation? Talk About It!
Almost everyone who registers to be a donor does so at the DMV. Because of this, it’s important to have the donation discussion with your family prior to getting or renewing your driver license.
We encourage you to revisit the conversation each time you need to renew your driver license. Families can forget their loved one’s decisions. Discussing end-of-life decisions with family is a crucial step in ensuring that your wants are respected, and your loved ones are not burdened with difficult choices during a stressful time.
While it can be a difficult and uncomfortable topic to broach, having the conversation early on can provide peace of mind for everyone involved. Discussing your donation decision before you get your driver license, whether you renew online or in-person, is a great habit to fall into with your loved ones.
The Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank wants to say “Thank You” and show our appreciation to our DMV partners in Colorado and Wyoming for asking the registration question every day. They help us to restore sight for those in need and we encourage you to do the same.