ANDERSON — Local high school athletic departments were asked a while back, “what do you need?”
When they came up with their wish lists, there were benefactors ready to make at least some of their dreams come true: Saint John’s Health System and St. Vincent Health. The gifts were worth well more than $20,000.
“We’re very grateful to Saint John’s that they did this for all the schools,” said Doug Bellar, athletic director at Alexandria-Monroe High School. “In sports, as an athletic director, you have to have people in the community willing to do that.”
At Alexandria, the gifts included covered heat packs, an electronic stimulation machine and vacuum splints. Bellar said the items on the wish list were compiled with input from the school’s athletic trainer and are designed to “help athletes get back on the floor or playing quicker” after they suffer an injury. Area school trainers are contracted to schools through Central Indiana Orthopedics, which also has a long-standing relationship with Saint John’s.
“We have a long-standing commitment to the community and supporting education needs in schools,” said Saint John’s President Tom VanOsdol. “This was just a specific opportunity that we wanted to capitalize on in the broader context of commitment to our community.”
At Frankton High School, Athletic Director Phil Abernathy said that when the school received its donation of two training tables and a whirlpool, it lacked space for them. There was a building used to store mowers and field equipment that could be used, he said, but that wouldn’t have left the school room for the maintenance items.
Saint John’s went the extra mile, Abernathy said, and agreed to build a new building at the high school so that the training equipment could have a permanent home. It will make a difference.
“On practices and game nights, we had to find a chair or the most convenient place for people to tape their ankles,” he said. “Now that we have portable tables we don’t have to use a broken-down chair or whatever’s convenient.”
The whirlpool helps students with certain kinds of injuries recover faster, he said.
“We appreciate the fact that they even thought about us and were able to give us some of the things they have,” Abernathy said. “We’re very appreciative of what they’ve done for us.”
Contact Dave Stafford: 648-4250, dave.stafford@heraldbulletin.com
Community
Related Photos
-
John P. Cleary
-
John P. Cleary
Discussion
High school athletes benefit from training equipment gifts
Saint John's Health System assists six county schools
- Community
-
-
In Review: Clown prince spreads God's message of hope
God’s faith in humanity is sometimes demonstrated in ways we humans think are foolish.
-
Jim Bailey: Winter of our discontent depends on our agenda
There’s nothing like a mild winter to bring out the members of our society whose agenda includes the propagation of the fear of global warming.
-
Community Briefs: Feb. 15
A compilation of community news as published in the Wednesday edition of The Herald Bulletin.
-
Love remains after all these years
In a culture where a $10 million wedding results in a 10-week marriage, the idea of a lifelong commitment may seem like a storybook fantasy. Until you meet Bob and Imogene James.
-
Community Briefs: Feb. 14
A compilation of community news as published in the Tuesday edition of The Herald Bulletin.
-
Retirement party Feb. 18 for Dr. William Anderson
A retirement party for William Stafford Anderson, M.D., will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, at Community Hospital, Anderson, Conference Rooms 6 and 7.
-
Local Facebook user organizes online rummage sale group
Accustomed to participating in a neighborhood rummage sale, Lori Baker Penticuff stockpiled all her gently used items that were no longer needed.
-
Community Briefs: Feb. 13
A compilation of community news as published in the Monday edition of The Herald Bulletin.
-
Back in the News: Feb. 12
The Herald Bulletin looks back at stories from the Anderson Daily Bulletin and The Anderson Herald newspapers.
-
Renner anniversary
Gretna A. (Thomas) and G. Neal Renner recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary with a family dinner party at a local establishment.
- More Community Headlines
-
