By Staff
Tracy B. Cieniewicz, Hartselle Enquirer
The Danville High School student council was shocked to learn that a local company was donating a lifesaving device to their school.
DHS senior Danny Pepper, student council vice president, said acquiring an automated external defibrillator (AED) has been a goal of the student council since his freshman year. The life-saving cardiac equipment is used on persons suffering cardiac arrest.
"We've been trying for four years to raise enough money to buy one ourselves," Pepper said. "But other things kept coming up to which we felt like we needed to donate the money we had saved. It was just a couple of thousand dollars we didn't have."
So Pepper and the rest of the student council were pleasantly surprised recently when BASF Corporation of Decatur offered to donate an AED to the school.
"I talked to the school counselor about making a donation and she said getting an AED for the school was one of the student council's projects," Lisa Sparkman, BASF product services representative and DHS parent, said. "They may never have to use it, but it is so important to have one available."
Sparkman, BASF Environmental and Health Specialist Justin Kirkham, DHS Principal Gilmer Ellis, Pepper and student council president Daniel Morgan were at the presentation of the AED, valued at $2,170, Feb. 24.
"I'm proud for the school to have it," Ellis said. "It's good to be prepared."
The AED will be placed in the school's main office and is available for transport to school sporting events.
The DHS student council this school year alone has also sponsored a canned food drive, spare change collection at home football games, handmade candy-gram Valentine's Day fundraiser, toy collection for 60 children with Danville Baptist Church, and a college scholarship fund in memory of DHS teacher Sandy Fields' late wife, Jane Ann Fields.
The DHS student council will host a LifeSouth Community Blood Center community blood drive Friday, April 21, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. at the school.