A Community Comes Together

MEDIA ADVISORY STORY/PHOTO OP

FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2014, 2 p.m.  

A Community Comes Together

Generous Donors, Community Business Leaders,
And Dedicated Volunteers Unite to Save the Sand Lake Ambulance Building

Sand Lake, New York – Three years ago, the Sand Lake Ambulance Building was in such disrepair that, according to engineers, only the lack of insulation that allowed snow on the roof to melt, kept it from collapsing on the vehicles stored inside.

Friday, Aug. 28, at 2 p.m., at the Sand Lake Ambulance station (3643 NY Route 43, W. Sand Lake 12196. – Corner of Springer Road & Route 43, Sand Lake), volunteers, community leaders and generous donors will celebrate the rebuilding of not only the station house, but the Ambulance Company itself.

In the past three years, a small group of dedicated volunteers fought difficulties that included running their life-saving organization on a shrinking budget, This week marked the completion of a final building phase with a new parking lot, which was made possible by materials donated from a local business, Troy Sand & Gravel.

Jude Clemente, owner of Troy Sand & Gravel and Bonded Concrete, will be the primary recipient of the company’s thanks, for his and his company’s generosity in donating the materials for a parking lot, the final phase of the newly renovated building.

The celebration will acknowledge the accomplishments of the ambulance company, community leaders and generous donors. Those include:

• In 5 years, raising more than $150,000 in community residential and business donations.
• Creating & fulfilling a new vision for the future of the ambulance company in less than 3 years.
• Growing from only two people volunteering over 500 hours in a year, to 26 volunteering over 500 hours per year (and many more volunteering over 250 hours a year).
• Community education and training of over 2,300 high school students, staff and town residents, in Hands-Only CPR and other lifesaving techniques.
• New sustainable leadership

“The town of Sand Lake is very fortunate to have such a dedicated group of individuals serving our town residents. Our tax payers appreciate the generosity of local businesses coming together to help such a vital organization within the town,”said Sand Lake Town Supervisor Flora Fasoldt. 

“Some say volunteerism is dead, I say they’re dead wrong,” said Robbie MacCue, president of Sand Lake Ambulance. “Our growth shows that people are ready to help their communities.”

About the Sand Lake Ambulance
The Sand Lake Ambulance is a private non-profit 501c3 organization with over 50 volunteers, approximately 15 paid Paramedic staff and responds to over 700 calls for service in the town of Sand Lake each year.