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Wal-Mart helps health students purchase defibrillator

A $1,000 check from Wal-Mart was the final amount needed for Starr’s Mill High’s Health Occupations Students of America to purchase an Automated External Defibrillator for the school.

The club started fundraising efforts for the AED at the beginning of the school year, raising a total of $1,000 by selling Christmas candy canes, Valentine candy grams, “buy a heart, save a heart,” as well as “passing the bucket for a healthy heart” at sporting events.

When Wal-Mart, a partner in education and big supporter of the Fayette County School System, heard about HOSA’s project, the company, with the help of employee Mike Wagnon, agreed to match funds raised by the students.

HOSA is a technical/career organization made up of students in healthcare science technology and health occupations classes. A focus of the organization is to promote better healthcare.

The HOSA students have taken pride in their “healthy heart” education of the community and have been able to share information with all age groups from preschool children to talking to residents at Southland Nursing Home.

The AED purchased by HOSA marks the second unit for the school. The first AED was donated by Fayette Community Hospital shortly after the organization’s fundraising efforts had begun.

“We’re glad to have the use of two AED machines for the South Complex,” said HOSA advisor and health occupations teacher Barbara Phillips. “We would like to give a big thanks to Wal-Mart for their support in helping us get the second unit.”

Phillips, who is certified to teach CPR/AED training, will work with the school’s faculty on the use of the units over the next several weeks.

The Starr’s Mill HOSA chapter was recently awarded first place for community awareness at the Georgia HOSA Convention in Augusta and are representing the state at the National Convention in Orlando, FL this month.