Stratford Lions Club committee member Michael Coe, St Johns community engagement coordinator Rebecca Kennedy, Stratford Golf Club chairman Matthew McDonald and St Johns Taranaki chairman Peter McDonald.
Stratford Lions Club committee member Michael Coe, St Johns community engagement coordinator Rebecca Kennedy, Stratford Golf Club chairman Matthew McDonald and St Johns Taranaki chairman Peter McDonald.
The Stratford Golf Club is now home to a device to help the hearts in its community.
Paul and Yvonne Kelly, owners of Exceed, donated an automated external defibrillator unit (AED) to the Stratford Golf Club.
Paul says public access to defibrillators is important.
"Knowing what to do and havingaccess to these machines can mean the difference between a life lost and a life saved."
Yvonne says they are committed to the community and are proud to support the Stratford Golf Club.
"We lived in the area for a long period of time and also attended Stratford High School, so it is nice to put something worthy back into the district.
"Sudden cardiac arrest can affect people of any age and whilst we hope this device is never used, it will be reassuring to everyone in the local community, both young and old, that a life-saving unit is available if needed."
The cabinet the device is stored in was donated by the Stratford Lions Club. The AED is coordinated and serviced by St John.
St John community engagement coordinator Rebecca Kennedy says Exceed approached her about the device.
"They had a device they no longer required and they asked me to put it in the community. Michael Coe from the Stratford Lions Club contacted me that one was needed at the Stratford Golf Club. It all fit into place."
Stratford and Inglewood area St John Committee chairman Peter McDonald says the AED is placed in an ideal location.
"It is outside the building and can be accessed at any time of the day. This is a place where people exercise and it is a well-known location. We currently have 300 AEDs in Taranaki and are about to start a committee project where we check all the AEDs in the region."
Stratford Golf Club chairman Matthew McDonald is grateful for the donation.
"We had an incident here three years ago and since then we've wanted to get an AED. We have a lot of veteran golfers who play here so it's a way to keep them safe as well as the community. It's an asset to this residential area and to Stratford itself."
