MILFORD, PA — Last month, the generosity of many Pike County businesses and other donors was on full display.

June 4 was NEPA Gives Day, a 24-hour online giving extravaganza. At the July 7 Pike County Commissioners meeting, Greater Pike Community Foundation Outreach Coordinator Linda Fields talked about the impressive haul that many charitable organizations took home that day.

A total of 5,789 donors were online that day. Out of the 218 local nonprofits that were registered, 20 were located in Pike County. Pike received $21,094 in donations out of the initiative’s overall total of $1,260,251, surpassing NEPA Gives’ original goal of $1,000,000.

The Pike County Emergency Service Initiative Fund received nearly $1,500. A matching donation from the law firm Zimmerman & Oligher doubled the money. Delaware Valley Raptor Center received $2,000, GAIT Therapeutic Riding Center received more than $2,600 in donations and Pike County Hands of Hope took home more than $1,800.

“Just about any organization who registered for NEPA Gives got donations, which was so nice to see,” said Fields.

Sponsored prizes from area businesses also made a huge impact. The commissioners sponsored the $500 Good Neighbor Prize, which was awarded to the Pike County organization with the most unique donors from within the county. One Pike-based organization also took home Zimmerman & Oligher’s $500 Legal Eagle Prize. The Hotel Fauchère gave out $50 gift cards to the first 10 nonprofits to get money from donors outside of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.

Pike County businesses also sponsored prizes that went to organizations from outside of the area, with the Dioceses of Scranton getting a few of them.

The Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau helped with publicity for the event.

“Overall it was really successful and we hope that it continues to be. I think that our local nonprofits do a great job and help so many different areas, and we’re just so happy that everyone stepped up to the plate,” said Fields.

“Many organizations benefited from this. This is showing how a community can come together to serve all of us, especially as we come out of this pandemic, how giving everybody is,” commissioner Matthew Osterberg said.

Grants for EMT training

In accordance with the giving spirit, the commissioners spoke about some recent grant money received by their office. They received a $3,103.61 grant through the Greater Pike Community Foundation from the advisors of the Pike County Emergency Services Initiative Fund.

The fund was started close to two years ago. William Lovejoy and Jason Oligher, of Zimmerman & Oligher law firm, were two of its first donors. Osterberg said they were two individuals “who stepped up and realized the issues we were having with EMS training.”

Residents who want to become EMTs can now utilize the training center in Blooming Grove for free training.

Last year, 16 people graduated from the training program. Many continue to work in Pike County’s ambulance services today.