Kings County entrepreneurs paying it forward with Holiday4Hearts campaign
Wreath sale funds to purchase defibrillator for community organization
While it’s typical that most holiday fundraising campaigns figuratively hit people in the heart, this is one that could do so literally.
Blue Cow Marketing founder Shaun Whynacht, Paula Huntley of Huntley Consulting, who was recently elected to Kentville town council, and BraveHeart First Aid owner and CEO Nancy O’Halloran have teamed up to put on the Annapolis Valley’s first Holiday4Hearts Campaign.
Whynacht said the idea for the campaign came from O’Halloran, who wanted to do something to benefit the community and help lift people’s spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic. It involves asking 50 businesses to participate by buying a $50 Christmas wreath to present to a charitable organization.
Whynacht said the purchaser could choose the charity or one could be chosen from a list of charitable organizations in the community identified by the organizers.
Money raised will be used to purchase a defibrillator. There is an online application form for community organizations that don’t currently have a defibrillator in the immediate area to apply for it.
“The idea behind that is we wanted to be able to register it with 911, because when somebody calls 911 if they’re having a cardiac arrest, 911 can actually pull up locations of defibrillators in the area,” Whynacht said.
Their goal is to make this an ongoing annual initiative to get more defibrillators out into the community. It’s also a project that could easily be replicated in other areas. Having a defibrillator close by could potentially mean the difference between life and death for a person experiencing cardiac arrest.
Whynacht said it was startling to realize that having an AED or defibrillator at hand within three minutes of someone experiencing cardiac arrest could increase the individual’s chance of survival by 80 per cent. Chances are that paramedics would be unable to reach the person within three minutes.
Whynacht said each of the three organizers are using their specific skills to focus on different aspects of the campaign. On Dec. 3 and 4, the “elves” will be delivering wreaths to the selected charitable organizations, while wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Whynacht said a photo would be taken of each presentation that will be given to the business that purchased the wreath.
He said that usually, as a business person, charitable organizations approach you about fundraising but “very rarely do we just pay it forward out of the blue.” He said most of the organizations that will be receiving the wreaths probably won’t have any idea until they receive a call about the delivery.
For the organizers and those purchasing wreaths, it’s a good feeling to know you’re doing something to brighten the season for people involved with local charities and “contributing to, potentially, a life-saving device in a community.” Whynacht is pleased that nearly half the wreaths sold within the first few days of the campaign.
To take part in the campaign by purchasing a wreath or to register your organization to be considered for a defibrillator, visit www. holiday4hearts.com or find them on Instagram at #holiday4hearts.
Whynacht said it has been an extremely busy time for him and his Coldbrook-based business as of late, as the demand for digital services has increased with the pandemic. Blue Cow Marketing helps small business use digital tools such as web design, video production and online ads and marketing campaigns to grow their business and share their messaging.
Behind the Business is a regular feature that introduces you to local businesspeople. Want to suggest someone that should be featured? Email your idea to scott.doherty@saltwire.com.