BY KEITH LIPPOLDT
klippoldt@gbtribune.com
HOISINGTON — A memorial gift from former club member Kent Baldwin’s estate has been turned into the purchase of emergency equipment at the Lake Barton Golf Club.
After Baldwin passed away, his daughter donated $610 to the club. During the February LBGC Board meeting, board member and Public Relations Chairperson Ron Mason suggested using the money to purchase an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to have in the clubhouse in case of emergency. Needing more money for the purchase, Mason contacted two local hospitals and asked for a donation to help pay the cost “i called and sent letters to both Clara Barton and University of Kansas Health Center,” Mason said. “They both donated $1,000 and everything came together. It just worked out. I was able to purchase the defibrillator and we also were able to purchase a very nice first aid kit and cold packs, some things we definitely needed.”
Mason worked with the Hoisington Ambulance Service to purchase a defibrillator that would sync easily with theirs. Although located between Great Bend and Hoisington, any emergency calls from the club would first go to Hoisington.
“I contacted Hoisington to ask them what kind of defibrillator they had,” Mason said. “So with that being said, we got the one that hooks up to their equipment, which is a plus.”
Mason explained that the first thing they will do in an emergency is call 911 to get help on the way. They will then retrieve the AED and put it to work to possibly save a life. And the machine is advanced enough all they would need to do is turn it on, follow instructions on the screen and wait for professional help.
“The defibrillator will be in a box in the clubhouse with the first aid kit on top of the box,” Mason said. “If someone goes down, all we do is go in and get it, and hook it up to the person. Basically, 911 will tell us exactly where to place the pads and then we get away. We’re just trying to get it where we are safer. It gives us a little peace of mind.”
The club was hosting a CPR class Thursday evening and expected at least 15 members to participate in the training.
“With so many of us taking the CPR training, the odds are pretty good one of us will be here to help if anything should happen on the course,” Mason said.
