Fremd senior honored for raising money to buy AED
A Fremd High School senior has been honored for successfully raising enough money, with the help of her classmates, to purchase an automated external defibrillator for the Children’s Advocacy Center in Hoffman Estates.
Priyal Amin was presented with the Great Citizen award by the Hoffman Estates village board on March 19 for setting up a cookie fundraiser through a school club called Service Over Self — of which she is an executive member — to help in purchasing the machine.
The club sold around 770 cookies at Fremd last month and raised more than $1,300, which is enough to pay for the AED, accessories and a wall mount.
More than a year ago Amin decided she wanted to do a project that would help the Hoffman Estates Fire Department — which she greatly respects because of her terrible fear of fires — and fulfill a need in the community.
The firefighters suggested she help raise funds to purchase an AED for the center, which provides support for children throughout the Northwest suburbs who are victims of violence.
“This was an outstanding place to put an AED where they don’t have one,” said Hoffman Estates Village President William McLeod at the village board meeting.
The fire department has advocated for AEDs to be present in all public buildings, as they significantly increase a person’s chances of surviving a heart attack.
“We came up with the idea, but Priyal ran with it,” Hoffman Estates Fire Chief Robert Gorvett said. “We’re very pleased with her commitment to the community and what she was able to do to benefit the people who visit the Children’s Advocacy Center.”
Amin worked with Service Over Self to schedule the fundraiser around Valentine’s Day to tie in a heart theme. Together the club advertised and packaged the cookies, which were given to the club at a reduced price from Cookie Cards in Palatine.
“I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to work for a wonderful cause that will be helping save lives,” Amin said in an email. “I can’t stop smiling that this project actually worked and we were able to raise the money for the AED Machine.”