In the past year, Spencer Pride has acquired two automated external defibrillators, also known as AEDs, for use at the Spencer Pride commUnity center and key programming activities. AEDs are critical life-saving devices utilized during CPR to treat a person experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. Regardless of their value, many businesses and organizations do not have AEDs on-hand. Given Spencer Pride’s work and the organization’s central location in downtown Spencer, having access to AEDs was an important part of their health & wellness strategy.
While getting these devices has been a long-term goal of the organization, purchasing them wasn’t always a budgetary possibility. AED devices cost $1,500 and up, depending on the exact model and specifications. For example, Spencer Pride wanted to ensure that devices could be used for all ages, and pediatric accessories are an additional cost. Spencer Pride purchased both AEDs (with pediatric accessories and an alarmed storage case for the center) thanks to a generous grant provided by the Owen County Community Foundation.
“Support from the Owen County Community Foundation was critical in ensuring that we could add these important devices to our health & wellness efforts at Spencer Pride,” says Elisabeth Solchik, the organization’s vice president and development director. Elisabeth and her volunteer team were responsible for submitting the grant request.
“We love OCCF and all that they do for the Spencer and Owen County community. We are grateful that they recognized the value of Spencer Pride acquiring AEDs to improve our capability to save lives.”
Purchasing the AEDs and installing them at the commUnity center were the first step. Next, the organization had to ensure that there were enough people trained to utilize the devices. Not every volunteer is comfortable performing CPR or operating an AED device, so Spencer Pride’s leaders devised a strategy to identify key volunteers and other program leaders that would ensure maximum capacity to utilize these devices.
Meanwhile, Spencer Pride commUnity center director Jacob Balash has been in ongoing discussions with the Owen County Health Department to support one another in addressing community health needs. Thanks to that collaboration, the health department offered to coordinate and cover the cost for this two-hour training and certification on CPR and AED.
On Saturday March 19, 2025, twenty-five individuals took part in the training exercise, which entailed practicing CPR and AED utilization on adults and infants. With approximately ten other Spencer Pride volunteers already certified, the organization is now well-prepared to utilize these life-saving devices.
“Working with the health department has been easy and the outcome speaks for itself,” says Balash, who personally participated in the training and certification.
Kate Gehringer, Spencer Pride’s festival director, is relieved that the organization now has the capability to leverage the AEDs, something she knows is needed particularly on the day of the Spencer Pride Festival. More than 7,000 people come to downtown Spencer to experience Spencer Pride’s hospitality for the festival.
“We are grateful to have not needed an AED yet during one of our festivals, especially since we would have had to wait for EMS support to access one in the past,” Gehringer shared.
“When someone is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, every single minute makes a big difference in their survival chances. Now, in the unfortunate event that we might need it, we are very fortunate to have them.”
This effort serves as a great example of how Spencer Pride works with community partners to develop its capacity and capabilities to better support the thousands of people who rely on Spencer Pride’s programming and services each year. Spencer Pride could not have done this effort without the financial support of the Owen County Community Foundation and the Owen County Health Department, and together the three organizations can be proud of what has been accomplished for our community.