GRANVILLE – The Community Christian School received an AED through KEVS Foundation on Monday afternoon.
Students of Our Community Christian School attend the assembly about the AED donation. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
Susan Canning and Shannon Small of KEVS Foundation presented the AED during a school assembly in front of students and staff.
Prior to Monday, the school didn’t have an AED present on the campus. With the new law that was put into effect on July 1, all schools in Massachusetts are required to have an AED available at all school-sponsored events.
Having just started their first year in their new location on 409 Main Rd., Community Christian School will now be in compliance with the law.
“This is huge for us moving into a new facility,” said School Administrator Tim Sheranko. This is a blessing for us.”
A non-denominational school that isn’t affiliated with any church, the Community Christian School is a three-day model but a five-day school. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, students attend the school and are in classrooms. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the students complete their assignments and schoolwork at home with adult supervision.
The Christian-based school was able to receive the AED when KEVS Foundation was made aware that the school didn’t have the device. Michelle Leonard, a teacher at the school, informed her husband, who is a part of KEVS Foundation, that the school was without an AED.
“It’s important to have this within the school building,” said Leonard.
Sue Canning of KEV’S Foundation speaks to students of Community Christian School about the importance of AED’s on Monday afternoon. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
Leonard hopes that the donation of this first AED is the start of something good for the future.
“This is the starting point and we’re hoping that this is the launching point,” said Leonard.
Canning spoke to the students and staff about the significance of having an AED on site. October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest month, and Canning was happy to kick off the important month by donating an AED to a school.
“It helps us with our mission, we want the kids to be safe,” said Canning. “Sudden Cardiac Arrest isn’t going away.”
According to a two-year study from the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, there were 132 different instances of sudden cardiac arrest in an athletic environment. The average age of the patient was 16-years-old and 48% of those individuals survived. Despite that, 89% percent of individuals that had an AED accessible to be used on them, survived from Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
When KEVS Foundation visits schools and donates AED’s, they like to see the school create awareness to students and staff about the dangers of sudden cardiac arrest. This week, Our Community Christian School has had first responders give staff CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) lessons.
KEVS Foundation is a non-profit organization that helps educate people about sudden cardiac arrest and encourages the community to get EKG (Electrocardiography) screenings. The organization started in 2011 after Canning’s son, Kevin Major, died from a condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy when swimming in Congamond Lake. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy’s leading cause is an abnormally enlarged heart muscle.
