Defibrillator Fundraiser A Success At NUMC

By Kendra Bobowick

Sticky hands, suntans, and tank tops make up children’s summer days. Starting early on the season was Rory Coon who rolled through the Newtown United Methodist Church parking lot on May 23 in the back of a toy wagon with her younger brother Finn.

Filling blankets on the ground and tabletops all around was a collection of home goods, toys, electronics, and collectibles on sale to benefit the church’s Outreach Committee effort to purchase a defibrillator.

“We made enough to purchase it; it was a great sale,” said Betsy Kraushaar, who co-chaired the event with Margaret Cassidy. The defibrillator will serve the church and adjacent Wesley Learning Center. Any remaining funds will contribute to other church programs needing funding.

As the Memorial Day weekend brought traffic through downtown Sandy Hook and crowds gathered for the annual Great Pootatuck Duck Race, Ms Kraushaar admitted the timing for a tag sale was perfect.

Searching for the most entertaining toy, John Patrick Popowich held two helium balloons but was soon distracted by a toy. Reaching for a robot, he loosened his grip and the balloon string rose above his head, but did not escape his father’s quick grip.

Tessa Leon-Gambetta and her mother Wendy also searched the sale items — contributions primarily from church members and Wesley Learning Center students’ parents.

Hearing about the sales results at church the next day, Wendy Leon-Gambetta said, “It was successful!”