Laketown Township is helping the Wes Leonard Heart Team make sure no person goes without lifesaving help, donating two expired automated external defibrillators to the Fennville-based group.
“We can use the trade-in AEDs to put towards AEDs that we donate in the future,” said Ryan Klingler, director of the Wes Leonard Heart Team.
Laketown has two AEDs – one at the township hall, 4338 Beeline Road, and one at the Felt Mansion, 6597 138th Ave. Both expired and were replaced at the end of 2022.
Brett Grams, township facilities operations, contacted the Wes Leonard Heart Team who said they could turn in the old devices to help others. Grams donated the expired units on behalf of the township. The heart team will get $100 to $275 for the units.
The money will go to help fund the more than 70 requests from around the state for AEDs, Klingler said.
The Wes Leonard Heart Team has donated more than 400 AEDs to Michigan schools and has certified more than 2,500 people in CPR and AED training, according to the group’s Facebook page.
The nonprofit was formed after Wes Leonard, 16, made game-winning basketball shot in March 2011 at Fennville High School then collapsed from cardiac arrest and died.
The 12th annual Wes Leonard “Never Forgotten” Basketball Game pits Fennville against Saugatuck on Feb. 18 at Fennville High School, 4 S. Memorial Drive. Money raised at the event goes toward AED donations for schools and organizations.