Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, Punta Gorda, Fla.
AFA awarded a $5,000 grant to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office in Punta Gorda, Fla. The group will use the grant to expand its Project Lifesaver program. The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has been a Project Lifesaver member since 2009.
Tammy Wilkie, community affairs specialist at the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, leads the program there. She is constantly out in the community educating people about the program, and giving weekly speeches at schools and other local organizations.
“We provide people peace of mind and assistance,” she said.
Currently, there are 14 people enrolled in the program. According to Wilkie, approximately 8,000 people in Charlotte County have Alzheimer’s disease. The group will use the grant money to purchase more tracking wristbands so that they can help more families with loved ones who are at risk of wandering.
