As part of their support of America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk, Adirondack Bank is donating CPR in Schools kits to Donovan Middle School at 1701 Noyes St., and JFK Middle School at 500 Utica Drive East, both in Utica. Each kit has 10 CPR mannikins, knee pads, a pump and instructions.

“Adirondack Bank is pleased to be able to provide CPR kits to two of our local schools,” stated Rocco F. Arcuri, Sr, President and CEO of the bank.  “We feel it is so important to provide the necessary tools and training to students, thereby educating the next generation of lifesavers.  These skills are something that  can be utilized for the rest of their lives and also promotes positive community involvement.”

“As the American Heart Association prepares to celebrate its 100^th anniversary, we are intent on building a nation of lifesavers who can perform Hands-Only CPR if someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest in front of them,” said Jonathan Henderson, M.D., pediatrician, Utica Pediatrics, and member, Board of Directors of the American Heart Association in the Greater Utica Area. “Most out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests happen at home. We want to prepare our students to be able to take action should the need arise. The American Heart Association was instrumental in passing the CPR in Schools Law, requiring every high school graduate in New York to have learned Hands-only CPR. Adirondack Bank is making it easy for these two middle schools to comply with that law. We are grateful for their sponsorship.

“On a personal note,” Dr. Henderson said, “my parents both taught in the Utica schools for several decades. It was my goal to work with USCD on this project to educate their students in Hands-Only CPR as a way to honor my parents and the education they provided so many in the district for so long.”

“We want to thank Adirondack Bank and the American Heart Association for the CPR kit for Donovan Middle School,” said Deanna Pecheone, assistant principal at Donovan Middle School. “We know that the sooner CPR is started, the better the outcome. It’s an important skill for everyone, including children, to know.”

Colin Clark, principal at John F. Kennedy Middle School, also expressed thanks to the American Heart Association and Adirondack Bank.

“We are thankful for our partnership with Adirondack Bank and the American Heart Association in this endeavor,” Clark said. “CPR is an important life skill that everyone should know, and we are thankful to have these here at school.”

Each year, nearly 350,000 people suffer out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest, and only 10 percent survive. Having CPR performed doubles or triples the chances of survival.
2024 marks the 50^th anniversary of America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk. The event is returning to its traditional date and location, Saturday, March 2, at Utica University. To register and begin fundraising, visit UticaHeartRunWalk.org.

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