Wear Red for Women donates AEDs to two area churches

Wear Red for Women, a Bothwell Foundation committee, recently gave an automated external defibrillator (AED) to LaMonte Christian Church and Calvary Baptist Church in Sedalia. An AED is a small, lightweight device that allows individuals and first responders to treat sudden cardiac arrest. The machine automatically analyzes the heart rhythm and when appropriate, it delivers an electrical shock to the heart to restore its normal rhythm.

Funds to purchase the devices were raised during the 2023 Wear Red for Women luncheon and auction. The committee’s goal is to have AEDs in every place people work, learn, play or pray in Sedalia and Pettis County. Since the inception of the luncheon event in 2020, 72 AEDs have been placed in or committed to various locations. The 2024 Wear Red for Women event is Feb. 23, 2024, and tickets will be available in January.

Calvary Baptist Church received an automatic external defibrillator, front row from left Gary Goff, Terry Hunter, Pastor Jonathan Wallenback, Lori Wightman, Bothwell CEO and committee co-chair; James Lawson and Eddie Crouch, committee member. Middle row from left, Jason Hoover, Trish Henson, committee member, Lauren Thiel-Payne, Bothwell Foundation executive director; Sue Laudenberger and Virginia Robinson. Back row from left, Mike Scott, Richard Robinson, Delilah Nichols, Debbie Davis and Robin Balke, committee member

LaMonte Christian Church received an automatic external defibrillator. Those on hand for the presentation included Bill Hackworth, Michael Wood, Louis Comfort, Terry Vannatta, Frank Higgins, Lauren Thiel-Payne, Bothwell Foundation executive director; Thomas Chaney, John Comfort, Larry Edwards, Jim Tyler, Trish Henson, committee member; Scott Gard, Lori Wightman, Bothwell CEO and committee co-chair; BJ Breshears, Linda Vannatta, Cristina Higgins and Stephanie Wienert.