Foundation grants benefit 3 local groups

The New Rockford Community Foundation has awarded grants to three community organizations including the Community Ambulance Service of New Rockford, Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd and New Rockford Park District.

Community Ambulance Service of New Rockford (CASNR) received grant funds toward their Cardiac Ready Community program. New Rockford became a Cardiac Ready Community in 2017. The qualifications to become certified as this include placing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) around area businesses and churches as well as providing wide spread CPR and AED training to the community. The Community Foundation funds will be used to replace batteries and defib pads for the AEDs within the community. There are currently 28 AEDs of various brands and models in the CASNR inventory that are used for the Cardiac Ready Community Project. The average cost on a biannual basis for battery and defib pad replacement is $100 per unit. CASNR continues to offer CPR classes for the public on a monthly basis as well as perform monthly AED maintenance. Additional funding is sought from different grants and organizations to assist with the cost of the update.

Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd (LHGS) received funds to acquire and implement medical drug diversion kits to prevent the unauthorized transfer of legally prescribed controlled substances. The kits will be used to keep controlled substances such as narcotics in a medical cart under a double lock system. Kim Jensrud of LHGS says that prescription drug abuse is "something we are all aware of, but no one wants to think it can happen in a small community. It is something we need to have on our radar so we can act quickly. We build relationships with those around us, and do not want to believe that co-workers are capable of stealing drugs, or may be under the influence of drugs while at work." With the medical drug diversion kits, prescription drug abuse prevention is possible.

New Rockford Park District will be using the awarded funds for an outdoor ice skating rink liner. The Park District previously received a donation of a Nice Rink outdoor ice rink board system from Freezeway, LLC. This includes a 100- x 50- foot. rink system of the boards, anchors and top padding. This system would enhance the community's options for outdoor winter activities and save funds through reduced water usage. The awarded funds will help the Park District to cover the cost of the liner that goes in the bottom of this ice rink system. Depending on the weather, we have seen over 400 visitors a year at the outdoor ice rink.

Josh Guler of the New Rockford Community Foundation said an additional grant round will be held this September, making the remaining $2,200 in grants available to community non-profits.