March 29, 2024

Cooperative Telephone Company distributes AEDs in remembrance of employee

After the recent, unexpected loss of Cooperative Telephone Company employee Eric Van Zee Feb. 22, the board of directors and employees wondered how to best pay tribute to his memory. After some consideration, they chose to memorialize him by helping others, expanding on a program they began last year.

In 2016, the telephone company spearheaded an AED (automated external defibrillator) project for HLV School after seeing a television story about a wrestler who collapsed at a state tournament and was revived with an AED.

“We checked at the local school and they were in need of an AED,” Scott Schabacker, COO and general manager of Cooperative Telephone Company said. “With the help of school nurse Joan Robinson, three AEDs have been placed in our local school. The telephone company purchased one, and the booster club and school purchased the other two. This project got us thinking about placing more of these in the community.”

After Van Zee’s passing, it was felt distributing AEDs throughout communities served by the telephone company, placing them where they would benefit the most people, was the best way to honor his memory.

“We surveyed area churches and community centers in our exchanges as we felt they would be logical sites,” Schabacker said.

Based on the survey results, Cooperative Telephone Company donated nine AEDs in Van Zee’s memory that were placed at the following locations:

Hartwick — Hartwick Fire Department.

Guernsey — Brooklyn Elevator.

Ladora — Ladora Methodist Church.

Victor — The Methodist, Lutheran, and Baptist Churches, along with the American Legion Hall. One was also placed at the Telephone Company’s business office. As Van Zee was a resident of the Holiday Lake area, an AED was donated to their community center.

Seconds count when someone has a heart attack. The faster an AED is used on someone whose heart has stopped, before help arrives, the better their chance for survival.

“Eric was a kind and gentle person,” Schabacker said. “He was always community minded. What better way to memorialize an individual than a project like this.”

He is the son of Ed and Andi Meyerink Van Zee of Newton.