Greenfield Elementary School in Summerside is getting an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) for Christmas.
The St. Eleanors Lions Club is raising $2,500 to buy an AED for the school and hopes to hand over the potentially life-saving machine in December.
Garnet Gibson, president of the St. Eleanors Lions Club, said his group decided to make the effort after it came to their attention that the school did not already have one of the devices.
Every year Greenfield helps the club with its Christmas hamper campaign contributions, said Gibson, so members wanted to do something for the school to show their appreciation.
“We felt that, based on their assistance that they’ve given us over the years … it was only fair that we returned the favour and tried to spearhead an effort to get them a defibrillator,” said Gibson.
He added that he has personally seen how an AED can save a life, after one was used to revive someone at his former work place.
“Without the defibrillator, that person probably wouldn’t have made it,” he said.
Greenfield Elementary principal, Sandra Jay, said the school appreciates the club’s efforts.
Cardiac problems are relatively rare among the young students Greenfield educates, but they can happen. Also, the school is a community facility that is used by various groups during non-school hours, said Jay.
“We see it as a valuable item to have in our school – you just never know when it might be needed.”
AEDs are briefcase-sized machines that can detect heart activity and can introduce an electric shock to restore normal cardiac rhythms if necessary. Modern iterations of the devices speak to the user and walk them through how to operate them.
The St. Eleanors Lions Club is still raising the money to buy the AED, but between contributions from local businesses and some joint fundraising with the school, the Lions don’t expect to have any problems meeting their goal.
One such fundraising effort, grocery bagging at Atlantic Superstore, will take place on Nov. 10.
@JournalPMacLean
