Wadsworth Amateur Soccer Association (WASA) plans on soon adding Automated External Defibrillators (AED) machines to Muhl Soccer Field in Wadsworth, Ohio. AED machines find a person’s abnormal heart rhythm and send an electric shock to restore the heart rhythm back to normal.
The price of three AED units and three towers cost around $15,000. The towers are used to keep the units charged at all times so they can be accessed anytime an athlete is in need. The towers also help the units stay heated and cooled for any type of weather.
This fundraiser started when parents were concerned about their athlete’s safety as the number of health issues worldwide has been increasing. WASA has been raising money by doing fundraisers such as Chipotle and Casa dinner nights and many more. However, they have received the majority of donations from the WASA community.
“We’ve been very blessed with the WASA community and the support we have gotten,” said Bethany Kovacevich, the secretary at WASA and a kindergarten teacher at Isham Elementary.
WASA has gained a lot of help and guidance from Rachel Rexroad, the owner of LEARN CPR, a local company that works to educate and help train local citizens to use lifesaving skills. Rexroad has helped in many of WASA’s steps including reaching out to companies she works with. The owner of the company, SaveHeart Towers, revealed that if WASA raised enough money for two AED towers they would donate a third one to them. This would save WASA around $5,000.
On April 30, WASA made its goal of purchasing the three AED units, emergency medical kits, and pediatric pads. These units were in hand and on the fields starting May 10. On May 14, WASA made it to their overall goal of $16,000 to secure the final purchase of the AED towers. They will soon have a meeting with the city to determine where each unit and tower will be placed.
