Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Every day in America, 1,000 people suffer from cardiac arrest, and 90% of them do not survive. Thanks to the work of the Community Ambulance Service of New Rockford, the outcome could be different for residents of Eddy County.
CASNR offers round-the-clock emergency service response seven days a week, with three crew members on call at all times. This is a tremendous feat given the limited volunteers trained to respond, and an incredible resource when incidents such as sudden cardiac arrest occur.
Our local emergency responders offer help to those in need 365 days a year, and they are asking for your help on just one day– Giving Hearts Day. On Feb. 13, CASNR will participate with nearly 500 charities in North Dakota and Northwest Minnesota in this 24-hour giving event. This is the second year that CASNR has engaged in this fundraising effort, which is co-hosted by Dakota Medical, Impact, and the Alex Stern Family Foundations.
CASNR co-manager Sara Myhre said that this year the organization's goal is to raise $20,000, which is equal to the amount raised last year. The funds will be used to support their ongoing efforts to provide emergency care to Eddy County. Medications and supplies must be replaced regularly, equipment needs updating and the ambulance fleet requires maintenance.
Two main areas to which funds will be directed are the replacement of batteries and pads for the 43AEDs (automated external defibrillators) in service throughout the county. Myhre said it costs hundreds of dollars to replace a battery, and they usually need to be replaced every two years. This is a necessary but tremendous cost to a small, rural service. As part of its Cardiac Ready Community status, CASNR must maintain these AEDs to ensure that they are available to residents in the event of sudden cardiac arrest.
The other, much larger expense the organization plans to incur soon is for an ambulance vehicle. The second ambulance isn't working properly, and it's important to have more than one good working vehicle in the event the primary vehicle is out of town for an extended period due to a transfer. Myhre said no decision has been made about whether they will simply upgrade the chassis of a current vehicle or purchase another new or used one. However, in any event, the cost is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
There are three ways to give to this local cause:
• Write a check to Community Ambulance Service of New Rockford, post-date it Feb. 13, 2020, and mail to PO Box 246, New Rockford, N.D. 58356.
• Go online on Thursday, Feb. 13, click on the donate button and select Community Ambulance Service of New Rockford. Then follow the instructions to make A donation.
• Schedule a gift in advance. This year donors can conveniently schedule online donations anytime through Feb. 11. Scheduled donations will be processed for withdrawal on Feb. 13.
• If a smaller payment several times a year fits your budget better, or if you want to continue to support CASNR on a regular basis, consider a recurring gift! You can schedule a monthly gift at http://www.givingheartsday.org. You can also make a one-time donation anytime during the year, as the website is live year-round.
The community is invited to a soup and salad luncheon on Giving Hearts Day (Thursday, Feb. 13) from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the Community Ambulance Building. A free will offering will be taken for lunch, and attendees can register to win door prizes. All proceeds will be included in the Giving Hearts Day event total.
Supporters are also encouraged to vote for CASNR in the Gate City Bank Giving Hearts Day contest. Nominate them online at https://www.gatecity.bank/giving-hearts-day/ through Tuesday, Feb. 4. Then, 30 nominated charities will be randomly chosen to win $2,500 from Gate City Bank. There is no limit to the number of times you can nominate a charity, so fire away keyboard warriors!
Finally, recognize our local first responders on social media. Post a photo on Facebook, Instagram or other app using the hashtags #countme and #givingheartsday.
Myhre concluded that volunteers are always needed and appreciated at CASNR. If patient care and emergency response isn't one of your strengths, consider helping with office duties, assisting with supply room inventory, or serving for special events like Giving Hearts Day. To lend a hand, call CASNR at (701) 947-2355 or email [email protected].
