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caption, page 2:
All Smiles
John Richard and Kayla Engh, EMTs with the Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association in South Woodstock, are all smiles after receiving PPE funding from the Putnam Rotary Club. Courtesy photo.
PPE funds
raised for
1st responders
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
Call it a “rapid-response” fund-raiser. “Rapid response” — much like the beneficiaries of the Putnam Rotary Club’s latest fund-raiser.
First responder ambulance/EMT crews received $1,400 total from the Putnam Rotary Club to spend on Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) that they might need. In less than two weeks, an idea was conceived, carried out and the checks went out.
One Putnam Rotarian who works with local emergency personnel heard about different needs in different ambulance corps. Some needed masks; others needed face shields; still others needed gloves. Instead of giving crews the items, the club thought that giving the funds instead would allow the crews to get exactly what they needed.
The icing on the cake was word that “First responders are first in line ordering from Amazon.”
Putnam Rotary Club President Richard Naumann, in a Zoom meeting with his club and follow-up email, asked Rotarians to send checks to the Rotary Club’s treasurer. Another Rotarian compiled a list of crews in need in the club’s area of service.
Within days, club members had contributed $700. Naumann said the club added another $700 from the District and the checks were mailed to the crews.
The following first responders received funds: Pomfret Fire District, Putnam EMS, East Putnam Fire Dept., Muddy Brook Fire Dept. in Woodstock, Bungay Fire Brigade in Woodstock, Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association, Eastford Independent Fire Company, No.1, and the Community Fire Company in N. Grosvenordale.