Wal-Mart Donates $21,500 to LifeFlight of Maine’s Night Vision Goggle Program 

August 22, 2008

AUBURN -- Seventeen Wal-Mart stores and one distribution center in Maine and New Hampshire have donated more than $21,500 to The LifeFlight Foundation.  The funds will help install night vision goggles on LifeFlight’s two emergency medical helicopters. The money was raised during the last six months by dozens of Wal-Mart associates from Presque Isle to Falmouth to Gorham, New Hampshire.

David Murray, Central Maine and New Hampshire Market Manager, helped to spearhead the fundraising effort among Wal-Mart associates. “I’m proud of our team of Wal-Mart stores from Maine and New Hampshire, and the Lewiston distribution center,” he said. “Today, our associates gave back to our communities. We know this donation will help enhance LifeFlight of Maine’s valuable, lifesaving service that it provides to people in Maine and New Hampshire.”

“The widespread support by Wal-Mart employees illustrates how important LifeFlight is to the people of Maine,” said Tom Judge, Executive Director of LifeFlight. “We are grateful for this important vote of confidence and for these hard-raised funds.”

Night vision goggles, similar to those used by the military, will greatly enhance the safety of flying at night and will allow 100 additional patients to be served every year. 

“LifeFlight provides an important safety net for those of us living and working in Maine and eastern New Hampshire,” continued Judge. “Installing night vision goggle technology on our aircraft will allow us to fly more safely and more often – which means we will be saving more lives.  It is not often that a donation to a non-profit can have such a profound impact on people’s lives – Wal-Mart employees should be proud of their action today.”

Each year LifeFlight cares for hundreds of critically ill or injured people all across the state.  While the helicopter landing in the middle of the highway grabs the headlines, most of our flights are transporting patients from smaller community hospitals to one of Maine’s three regional medical centers or beyond. In the past ten years, LifeFlight has cared for some 8,000 people.

“As a non-profit organization, LifeFlight has many pressing needs for funding, but none larger than securing night vision goggles for our pilots,” said Judge. “The project will cost $335,000.  Wal-Mart’s contribution today brings us within $49,000 of our goal.  I encourage other people who are interested in supporting this important project to contact LifeFlight.”   

LifeFlight can be reached at 207-785-2288 or at www.lifeflightmaine.org