Faith Church in South Centerville recently donated $400 for the district to use toward the future purchase of a life-saving AED machine for the athletic fields.

“We’re grateful to Faith Church for their support of our commitment to educating our community’s children and for donating these funds that we will use toward this life-saving equipment,” said Superintendent Brian Monahan. “We want to also give a special and grateful thank you to Marsha Bidoglio, who spearheaded this idea.”

The funds were raised through the church’s “Improv” night, held in March, which included Minisink Valley alumni and New York City performers.

An AED, or automated external defibrillator, is used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. It’s a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use, medical device that can analyze the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.