Ironman Florida aids Bay Medical
Jerry Wood inspired to help sick kids in hospitals
By Donna Vavala News Herald Writer 747-5045 / dvavala@pcnh.com
PANAMA CITY
The company that puts on the annual Ironman Florida in Bay County today is giving back to the community for helping with the endurance-distance triathlon.
Graham Fraser, CEO of North American Sports, announced Friday his group is donating money for a colorful, music-filled club room called the Lion’s Den, which will be outfitted with computers and video games and installed in Bay Medical Center’s pediatric unit.
"We came here 10 years ago and didn’t know a soul," Fraser said. "We didn’t know if the event would work here. Now, it’s a huge success because the community backs it. We shut down the roads for 17 hours, and we use a lot of volunteers. It means a lot to us, and we want to give back."
Fraser said he met NHL Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine, also an Ironman competitor, about five years ago, and they hit it off immediately.
"He used to go to hospitals to see kids, and he’d form a bond with them," Fraser said. "A lot of them passed away, and it hurt his heart."
When LaFontaine heard about Lion’s Dens, which are affiliated with the nonprofit Companions in Courage Foundation, he thought it was a perfect way for hospitalized children to escape, if only for a few hours. He talked to Fraser about it because Ironman has a fundraising arm, and they decided to partner. They have completed four hospital based Lion’s Dens.
"Hospital rooms are pretty stark," said Jim Johnson, executive director of the Companions in Courage Foundation. "The walls are white, and there’s a bed in there. Lion’s Den is a ‘wow’ room. The walls are curved, there are bright colors and music playing."
Children find out about the Lion’s Den when they are admitted to the hospital and are presented with a "smart" card.
The card explains they are members of a special community with unique privileges. The key is an ID device that allows the children to log onto computers.
Each Lion’s Den is equipped with multiple computers with Internet access. There are Xbox 360s, provided by Microsoft, that allow children to play against each other or against children at other hospitals around the country with Lion’s Den systems. Cisco Systems provides most of the technology infrastructure. There also is a large plasma-screen television and a library of films.
Other features of Lion’s Dens are the video conference pods that allow children to have semi-private conversations with relatives and the ability to access live appearances by sports stars and other celebrities.
Lion’s Dens are custom built in a factory, shipped to the site, then assembled to avoid the noise and dirt associated with construction. They range in size from 350 square feet to 1,000 square feet.
"They take about eight weeks to build," Johnson said. "It takes about seven days to put one together with the walls and lighting, and the rest of the time to install the games, computers, plasma television and conference pods.
|
