Pete Ottosman of Rapid City walked away with Beki Thompson's original oil painting "Cherry Blossom," and one less pint of blood Monday as part of the woman's birthday blood drive.

Held at the Rushmore Mall, Beki Thompson celebrated her 18th birthday by hosting a blood drive that netted 70 units of blood in a little less than seven hours. Ottosman donated a unit of blood to United Blood Services and won the painting in a drawing.

The family served marble birthday cake at the unconventional party that featured photos of Beki and her father, Pat Thompson, who inspired the idea for the blood drive. Her father was hospitalized in 2007 and needed six units of blood to save his life. The Rapid City teenager vowed to pay back the six units after turning 17 and wanted to add people to the growing list of donors. "It was very successful and I'm pleased at how it turned out," the Black Hills State University student said.

She donated her sixth unit of blood for the year promptly at 11 a.m. next to her sister, Mandy, and two cousins, Travis Thompson and Tawna Hoven. Along with the 70 people that contributed, six more people were scheduled to donate today. United Blood Service technicians were surprised by the amount of first-time donors the Thompson family brought to the blood drive. The family hopes it will lead to more donations.

"I'll be back in another eight weeks," Beki Thompson promised.