Nason Foundation Describes Its Efforts To Help Community

April Harmon's family has a playground in memory of her daughter and Jen McCoy has a career in health care thanks to the Nason Foundation.

The stories told by Harmon and McCoy were the centerpiece of a celebration held May 19 by the Nason Foundation to bring public attention to the work it does to make the Cove community a healthier place.

Both Harmon and McCoy benefited from the annual grants that the Nason Foundation distributes. Both told their stories at the May 19 event, held at Morrisons Cove Memorial Park, in Weaver Hall.

Jen McCoy told the attendees how she obtained a Nason Foundation scholarship 20 years ago, when she was working as a nurse at Nason Hospital. She now works nearby, at the Cove Family Practice.

McCoy said that the scholarship enabled her to continue her nursing education.

"The scholarship program does work," McCoy said. "Any organization is only as good as the people who work there. I'm proof that the scholarship program works."

McCoy reminded the attendees that "those getting scholarships today will be the ones caring for us in the future."

April Harmon told the story of her daughter Brielle Mathias and how she inspired a playground at Morrisons Cove Memorial Park.

Brielle was a special needs child who enjoyed being outdoors in the Acorn Cove, Harmon said. After Brielle's death in October 2017, just shy of her third birthday, Harmon said she was afraid that Brielle would be forgottten.

"I wanted to honor her and keep her memory alive," Harmon said.

The idea came to her to build a park beside Acorn Cove for children "just like Brielle," she said.

"Special-needs kids need a place for them, that's just for them, to help them build confidence," she said.

The project was extensive, requiring a nearby paved parking lot for easy access, cutting down of some trees and "good flooring," she said.

"It was very expensive," Harmon said.

The family held the first fundraiser event in 2018.

"This park has been a dream in our hearts for five years," Harmon said of family. "It is now becoming a reality" with help from the Nason Foundation.

"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts," Harmon said.

She noted that the park is in line with the Nason Foundation's mission to "support the health and vitality of our community through financial support and education."

AED distribution

Other speakers at the event described other projects supported by the Nason Foundation, some of them launched by the foundation itself.

Nason Foundation Boardmember Tom Stoudnour described the foundation's automated external defribrillator (AED) program. The Red Cross defined AEDs as "used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. [AEDs are an] easy-to-use, medical device that can analyze the heart's rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm."

In 2018, the Nason Foundation began distributing AEDs to places where they might be needed, such as VFW halls, churches and emergency medical services. Police departments were also given AEDs, since police officers are often the first responder on the scene of a medical emergency.

Boardmember Stoudnour described the AED program as "probably the foundation's flagship program," and one that it is proud of.

He said that each AED costs $1,300 to $3,000, depending upon the model and its capabilities.

Stoudnour described other projects that the foundation has undertaken.

Eight EMS agencies in the region were provided with a total of $13,300 for the purchase of personal protective equipment to keep first responders safe from COVID-19 virus exposure, he said.

The foundation stepped up with another COVID-19 related program, he said.

Stoudnour said that many people who contract COVID-19 still have respiratory problems after being released from the hospital. One good way to monitor how effective a patient's breathing is, is to use a pulse oxymeter.

WebMD describes the process of pulse oximetry, or pulse ox, as "a quick, inexpensive, and needle-free test that measures the amount of oxygen in your blood. It shows whether your heart and lungs supply enough oxygen to meet your body's needs."

"This is very important" for people who have been released from the hospital after contracting COVID-19, Stoudnour said.

The Nason Foundation distributed 500 pulse oxymeter devices to doctor's offices and The Village and Homewood, he said.

"We got thank-you cards for the pulse ox distribution," Stoudnour said.

Scholarships available

The Nason Foundation reception closed with an appeal from the foundation for those interested in the medical field to apply for scholarships.

Betsy Harmon-Garach, the mistress of ceremonies, urged those interested in the medical field to apply for scholarships. Information is available at the foundation's website at https://www.nasonfoundation.org

"We have scholarships available," she said.