A Lake Country store now has the funds to replace a stolen medical device, thanks to a successful fundraising campaign.
Last weekend the Oyama General Store reported its defibrillator had been stolen for the second time. The local hot spot first had the life-saving device stolen four years ago, but that time the thief returned the defibrillator to the store parking lot.
No such change of heart has been reported this time around, but no matter; a GoFundMe campaign was launched to recoup enough funds for a second replacement, and in less than two days the online campaign surpassed its goal of $2,200, with a total of $2,390 raised as of Wednesday afternoon.
The defibrillator sits outside the store in a breakaway glass cabinet.
“It’s a catch-22 as it has to be outside so people can access and it can’t be locked up,” store owner Cory Holland said at the time of the theft.
Defibrillators are machines that restore a normal heartbeat by sending an electric pulse or shock to the heart. They are used to prevent or correct a heartbeat that is uneven or that is too slow or too fast. Defibrillators can also restore the heart’s beating if it suddenly stops.
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