Selectmen officially accept gifts for town

Bow Editor — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:29:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The Hopkinton Board of Selectmen accepted a long list of gifts from town members to clear the books of any donations that have not properly been received since 2002.

Laws require donations of more than $5,000 to the town be accepted during a public hearing.

Some felt the Slusser Center donation was not properly accepted two years ago, as well as some recent gifts from the Hopkinton Youth Sports Association, which caused selectmen to check records for their Nov. 19 meeting.

“When we had the discussion about the new athletic field, one of the questions was what HYSA had donated to the town,” said selectmen Chairman George Langwasser. “Our records should show that we’ve accepted these gifts. This was an attempt to go back and go through, looking for any gift that hadn’t been accepted. I wanted to make sure we covered everything.”

After reviewing records, board members discovered that HYSA had donated a large amount in money and services that weren’t indicated in town records.

Selectman Scott Flood said there are multiple reasons to go back and clear the books.

“It’s important to comply with any law. That’s a goal I have, to comply with the requirements within the town,” said Flood.

“We are also able to applaud groups who have been so generous with their donations, and that is a great opportunity for us to do that.”

The first group of gifts accepted at the public hearing pertained to the Slusser Senior Center, totaling $45,145, followed by a list of donations from the Contoocook Carry to a variety of town agencies, totaling $2,329.75.

To close out the pubic hearing, the board accepted 16 various gifts from different organizations and individuals that had been donated between 2002 and 2007.

“The laws have changed so some of them were relatively small and now you don’t have to do that, but we wanted to still,” said Selectman Don Lane. “The other point is that a lot of things you don’t even think of. Like if someone says they’ll put up a new fence for you, it’s a town fence. So they put it up and you consider it a gift. It’s something we didn’t have to do because even though they needed that for themselves, it is also for the town.”

In total, 230 individual gifts have been received for the Slusser Center, according to Lane.

From the heart – Family donates 2 defibrillators to high school

Bow Editor — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 20:25:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Timothy Carroll was only 22 when he died of sudden cardiac arrest.

The 1996 Hopkinton High School graduate was alone on Dec. 13, 2000, when he ran up two flights of stairs, then suddenly collapsed and died. His girlfriend found him four hours later, but it was too late.

Carroll led a healthy lifestyle, and along with pursing a career in film making, he played basketball, baseball and golf – staying in shape with athletics.

Carroll’s parents, Khristin and John, made a commitment to save as many lives as possible from that moment on.

“Most people don’t think sudden cardiac arrest can affect their children when, in fact, it affects thousands each year. And not just high school or college-age students, even young children as well,” said Khristen Carroll. “Our mission is to educate people and let them know it does happen and how to be prepared if it does.”

It should come as no surprise, then, that the Carrolls recently donated two automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to Hopkinton High School.

“Having an AED around means all the difference in the world,” said Carroll.

“Lives. It means lives,” said Hopkinton Middle/High School Principal Steve Chamberlin, who held a ceremony at the school on May 29 to accept the gift, which he said sports teams carry during both home and away games.

“All the coaches and I, we feel better having one travel with our teams,” Chamberlin continued. “We all hope we never use them, but if we do we’ll be ready. What a wonderful gift to receive from the Carrolls.”
Nate Mosseau, a senior lacrosse player at Hopkinton High School, was one of two student/athletes to accept a defibrillator on behalf of the school.

“Obviously, it’s great. I think we’ve been lucky that nothing like that has happened here, but it’s great that we’ve taken the steps necessary to prevent a future tragedy.”

The Carrolls challenged the Hopkinton School District to make all its facilities heart safe, and officials accepted.

Now the district has at least one AED at each of its schools, has many CPR and AED certified staff and faculty members and is promoting constant awareness among its students.

Hopkinton Fire Chief Rick Schaefer has also accepted the mission to have and maintain an AED at all Hopkinton schools.

But one doesn’t need to be AED certified to work one, said Khristin Carroll.

In fact, the Good Samaritan law allows anyone to do anything in their means to save a life, she said, adding that AEDs are easy to use and provide the operator with simple, concise instruction that allows it to be used at a moment’s notice.

The Carrolls have also been major proponents of House Bill 911, which was sponsored by state Rep. Christine Hamm, and passed in the Senate on May 11.

“This bill represents to me how something good can come from a tragedy,” said Hamm.

The bill established an AED Advisory Commission and “encourages all schools to obtain and maintain automated external defibrillators at appropriate school locations for the safety and protection of students and others participating in or attending school athletic and related activities.”

The message is getting across.

The 2007 senior class at Hopkinton High School just donated another AED to the school.

For more information on Carroll, others like him, how you can help or for more information on SCA, visit www.parentheartwatch.org.

Hopkinton News : donation

Selectmen officially accept gifts for town

From the heart – Family donates 2 defibrillators to high school