Zion Lutheran Church receives Tipp Foundation grant for AED

Members of the Zion Lutheran Church are thrilled to receive a Tipp City Foundation grant to buy a device they hope never gets used.

An Automated External Defibrillator, or AED, was purchased by the downtown Tipp City church last year using a $4,112 grant from the foundation. The grant paid for the device, a trauma bag, and training for 10 people, said Annette Calicoat, office manager of Zion Lutheran Church.

The AED has been conveniently located between the church sanctuary and its Fellowship Hall, which hosts weddings, funerals, church services, and community events.

“Having an AED on hand can make a critical difference in emergencies. Just like that spare tire, it’s all about preparedness,” said Richard Bender, president of the Tipp City Foundation.

“Knowing that a device is readily available can provide peace of mind, especially in places where people gather.  It's great to see more public spaces recognizing the importance of having these lifesaving tools accessible.”

The grant was sought for the church, and the community that uses it, Calicoat said.

“The majority of our congregation are senior citizens and the likelihood of someone having a heart attack is higher with this population. The possibility of saving a life increases exponentially when an AED is available for use because effective CPR can begin immediately. Every minute without hands-on CPR reduces the chance of survival by 10 percent,” she said.

“In addition, because our church is centrally located in the heart of downtown Tipp City, our facility is utilized for many community activities and organizational meetings.”

Among meetings are community organizations such as a Scout Troop, church groups including women fellowship and committee meetings and gatherings such as blood drives, Relay for Life meetings, Vacation Bible School and activities including Bunco.

“The community room at the Zion Lutheran Church is definitely one of those places that people gather. I’ve attended community meals, funerals and Give Where You Live Miami County has our quarterly meetings there,” Bender said.

“For me, as a board member of the Tipp City Foundation, it’s inspiring to see how past donations have such a meaningful impact on our community. It’s rewarding to witness the positive changes that result from the contributions we have received,” he said.

In addition to the funding for the AED to Zion Lutheran Church, the Tipp City Foundation provided funding in 2023 for AEDs to Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County and to the Tipp City Seniors, Inc. 

Next year is Zion’s 200th anniversary and many special activities are being planned to celebrate.

With this kind of traffic, having an AED available is crucial, Calicoat said. “We were thrilled to be recipients of such a generous grant that provided for its purchase but, we hope we never have to use it!”