Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation Donates 50th AED to Swiss Village Retirement Community
by James Coulter
Melanie Brown Culpepper Beilke remembers donating her first automated external defibrillator (AED) to Old Man Frank’s in August of 2021.
Now, three years later, she and her non-profit organization donated their 50th AED to the Swiss Village Retirement Community in Winter Haven.
On Monday evening, Melanie and her team with Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation visited the local retirement community to donate and install an AED.
Douglas R. Hott Sr., who had been a resident at Swiss Village Retirement Community for three and a half years, had reached out to CCF to install an AED there.
He also had the honor of assisting with the donation by helping to “pay it forward.” Being able to give back to his community through this donation was nothing short of an “honor” for him.
“I feel very honored to have paid it forward,” he said. “It means so much to me. And I praise Melanie and the whole CCF team. Thank you all so very much.”
Tony LaMonica, HOA and Vice President of Swiss Village, and a resident for seven years, praised Hott for financing the AED and Melanie and her CCF team for donating and installing it.
“What Doug Hott did was a wonderful gesture to the community. And we will always be grateful for what he has done,” he said. “The CCF Foundation is doing a great thing forall the communities in the area.”
The CCF team not only installed the AED, but also offered a demonstration on how to use the device.
Melanie also shared her story about how she started CCF three years ago following the untimely passing of her late fiancée, Michael Culpepper, who passed away from cardiac arrest.
Not wanting anyone else to suffer a similar fate, she started CCF to raise proceeds for AEDs to be placed in local establishments across Polk County. This AED at Swiss Village was her 50th donation.
“I want to Thank God for helping me pull through and guide me in making this all possible,” Melanie wrote on her Facebook page. “At one point I didn’t think I could go on but I took my tragedy and grief & decided I wanted to make a difference. As part of my healing process, I chose to start CCF in Hope to Save Someone’s Life to Honor Michael’s Name. I know he’s looking down and I’m making him proud.”
Having experienced a similar situation as Melanie previously faced, LaMonica empathized with her and her cause and made him feel even more honored about the AED donated to Swiss Village.
“Speaking to Melanie on why she started this foundation was heartfelt,” he said. “I have gone through the same situation. Sounderstand the need for what they are doing.”
Melissa Hancock, a Pretrial Investigator at Polk County Pretrial Services, assisted Melanie with the AED demonstration. She had previously offered her services for CCF, and was honored to do so Monday evening.
“I have always told Melanie if she needs my assistance to help her, I will help,” she said. “It felt amazing to be a part of such a phenomenal foundation such as CCF. I was a little nervous. I enjoy sharing such useful information that may save someone’s life. Must be the law enforcement officer still inside of me. I believe we are put here to help each other through life.”
To learn more about Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation, visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/honoringculpepper
