December 29, 2004
Project true life saver for families
Area artist auctions off work to purchase locating equipment
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
A little boy from New Jersey has been in Michelle St. Amant's mind this season.
Autistic, he wandered away from home just before a cold snap on December 17. A massive search ensued but he was found dead four days later in a wooded area not far from his home.
St. Amant, the director of Project Lifesaver of Northern Michigan, believes that had the boy been wearing a lifesaver bracelet and the authorities equipped with Lifesaver locating equipment, he would have been found alive.
"That brings it to light, especially this time of year, for the program," St. Amant said.
The Grand Traverse region will soon have the technology of Project Lifesaver, thanks to St. Amant's efforts.
The locating equipment has been obtained and a training session for members of the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Department is scheduled for January. Sheriff Scott Fewins, his undersheriff and his captains will complete the training, Fewins said. After the three-day session is complete, they can then train other members of their staff.
"When we get a call anywhere in our community that somebody is in harm's way, we'll send our police officers anyway and we'll still send our dog," Fewins noted. "But what's going to be nice now is that there will hopefully be a certain amount of people who will have the bracelet."
St. Amant's own autistic son, Andre Krist, died April 4, 2004, at age 18 from medical complications due to his conditions. Both his life with autism and seizure disorder and his death have inspired her to try and help others. His illnesses first made her aware of Project Lifesaver three years ago, her interest captured when she heard of it on television because Andre was inclined to wander.
"I just got set on fire, you are able to locate people in 20 minutes instead of days," she said.
After her son's death, St. Amant began working tirelessly to bring Project Lifesaver equipment to the region, reviving a quest that had previously faded.
"I had to set it aside before because he became very ill and needed my attention and when he died_ I was motivated before but this gave me purpose," said St. Amant of her first effort to bring Project Lifesaver to the region.
"It's been a gift from my son, he's giving the community a gift," she added. "The program would not be here if it weren't for him."
St. Amant held a public meeting in May to explain the program, training, cost, answer questions and ask for help.
Since then the pieces have been falling into place. An artist, St. Amant bartered one of her sculptures to the Project Lifesaver headquarters for one of the locator units.
"They donated one of the pieces of locating equipment, which costs $2,600, and you need two of them and they are also sending their trainers here and paying for the airfare," said St. Amant of the main office in Chesapeake, Va.
She has been writing grants and searching for donations, receiving numerous in-kind donations of items such as printing and legal services. She has also contacted 80 area churches, inviting them to sponsor the $263 waterproof vinyl bracelets worn by people with Alzheimer's disease or autism.
St. Amant's art will provide another financial boost to her quest: she has two sculptures scheduled for auction on eBay from January 1-10 and will donate all the proceeds to the cause. The galvanized wire sculptures and their beginning bids are "In Flight" at $2,500 and "Amour de Vie" beginning bid $1,000.
"All the proceeds are directly applied to Project Lifesaver fund, so it's not tax deductible," St. Amant said.
For more information on Project Lifesaver, go to www.projectlifesaver.org. For more information on the northern Michigan Project Lifesaver, visit the website www.gtrcf.org and search on the lifesaver. To contact St. Amant and Northern Michigan Project Lifesaver, phone 935-1855.