Students' goal is to purchase AEDs for St. Rose
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

CLARE MARIE CELANO St. Rose of Lima students (l-r) C.J. Ramos, 12, James Capik, 12, and Zach Kling, 12, show the type of cartridges they are collecting to raise money for the purchase of automated external defibrillators.

FREEHOLD - A group of seventh-graders who are enrolled in the St. Rose of Lima religious education classes are working to save lives, or at least provide equipment to allow others to do so.

"Help Save a Life" is an effort by the youngsters to provide what St. Rose does not have - automated external defibrillators (AED) for the St. Rose buildings. An AED is used to revive a person who has suffered sudden cardiac arrest.

The religious education students, James Capik, 12, Zach Kling, 12, and C.J. Ramos, 12, all of Freehold Town-ship, are pupils at the Eisenhower Mid-dle School, Freehold Township.

Their project goal is to provide an AED for each of St. Rose of Lima's four primary buildings: the school, the church and the chapel and the parish center. Each machine will cost $1,000.

Doreen Capik, who is guiding the boys in their fundraising efforts, said the project is part of the students' community service requirements. She said the students are working closely with Jim Dempsey, the owner of Cartridge World in the Raintree shopping center, Free-hold Township, who has consented to help with the fundraising efforts.

She said the boys are collecting used ink jet and laser cartridges and are turning them into cash to buy the defibrillators.

For each cartridge the boys bring into Cartridge World, they receive $1. There are, however, special cartridges that will bring them $3 each. A large collection container, provided by Dempsey, now sits in the religious education classrooms waiting for donations of used cartridges.

Dempsey, who has owned the business for almost two years, said he is "proud to help the students in the religious program to achieve such a worthy goal." He has previously assisted PTOs, houses of worship and other nonprofit organizations with their fundraising efforts.

Capik said the boys are hoping to raise enough money to buy at least one AED, and possibly two, this year. They plan to continue their efforts during the 2007-08 school year. So far they have collected $137 since September.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the effort can send their empty cartridges to St. Rose of Lima Religious Education, Lincoln Place, or call (732) 308-0215.

Cartridges may also be dropped off Cartridge World in the Raintree Shop-ping Center, Route 537, Freehold Town-ship, or call (732) 333-1925. Capik is asking anyone who drops off cartridges at the store to tell Dempsey they are being donated to St. Rose of Lima's religious education fund.

In lieu of cartridges, the St. Rose youngsters would also accept monetary contributions.