NEWELL-Sherry Hocking has received a grant from the South Dakota Department of Health to present Heart Saver classes to as many as 250 people in the surrounding Newell area. The Health Disparity Grant is to be used to help rural communities. Hocking said that so many people of the community live out in the middle of nowhere and need information on how to recognize if something is wrong and what to do with that information.
“It takes time for us [the ambulance crew] to reach outlying areas,” she said. “I want to make them comfortable, to know what to do.”
For several days, Hocking was at the Newell School teaching Newell ninth graders how to do compressions, along with information on life-saving methods. Teacher Scott Wince had made his Health Class students available for the live-saving sessions.
She plans to hold more classes for students in grades 9-12, but is also planning to open CPR classes to anyone in the area. Although no times have been set yet, Hocking would like to be contacted to know when times are suitable for as many as possible. Instruction will take approximately three hours and is open to everyone. Contact Sherry at 605-210- 0703 for more info.