Published: Thursday, November 27, 2008
The Ellsworth American
Ellsworth, ME
ELLSWORTH — Ellsworth’s Wal-Mart store has donated $1,000 to the LifeFlight Foundation to help pay for night vision goggles.
“We are grateful to the Wal-Mart employees for their contribution to this important project,” said Chris Hamilton, LifeFlight’s development director. “Installing night vision goggles on our emergency medical helicopters will enhance the safety of flying after dark and will allow us to care for an additional 100 patients per year.”
The night vision goggles are similar to those used by the military and will be used on every night flight starting in December.
Nineteen Wal-Mart stores across Maine have donated more than $22,000 toward the $335,000 project.
LifeFlight needs to raise an additional $16,000 to complete the project.
“It is rare when a project has such a dramatic and immediate impact on people’s lives,” Hamilton said. “Wal-Mart has joined with hundreds of people all across Maine who know how important this new technology will be.”
LifeFlight of Maine was recently named the top air medical program in North America. It has two emergency medical helicopters, based in Bangor and Lewiston. In the last 10 years, LifeFlight has flown 85 patients from Ellsworth, and 535 patients from within Hancock County.
For more information, or to donate to the NVG project, go to lifeflightmaine.org.
A $1,000 donation by the Ellsworth Wal-Mart store to the LifeFlight Foundation will help the foundation pay for night vision goggles.
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