LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla (June 24, 2024) – Neal Communities recently announced a $10,000 donation to the Defibrillate Manatee Foundation. This donation will help to supply the Manatee County School District with 21 AEDs and the Bradenton Police Department with an additional 10 AEDs. Each defibrillator costs $1,699.
Neal Communities was inspired to become involved by the story of Ernie Withers who went into cardiac arrest at the Pittsburgh Pirates spring training complex in Bradenton and was saved by a Pirates doctor, who performed CPR and a trainer, who used an automated external defibrillator to resuscitate him. This experience moved Withers to create a nonprofit foundation, Defibrillate Manatee Foundation, that has donated AEDs to local businesses, schools and police.
The Neal Communities donation will account for approximately one third of the current campaign being conducted by Defibrillate Manatee for Manatee County School District, which also includes 20 AED simulators, 20 CPR mannequins and 20 first aid kits.
In addition to the donation, Neal employees are taking action, with a recent Neal Communities-sponsored training program, certifying 76 employees through the American Heart Association in Heartsaver CPR/AED.
“Not only did Neal Communities make a donation to this charity in helping save lives, but they also took it a step further in bringing awareness to their employees,” says Withers. “The employees were engaging and very enthusiastic in learning how to perform CPR and learn how to operate an AED.”
Since the Defibrillate Manatee Foundation was established last year, it has provided 60 AED’s, 30 AED training simulators, 30 CPR training mannequins, 20 first aid kits and provided CPR certification to more than 100 individuals.
