The Pilot Club of Fort Myers and the Cape Coral Police Department are cooperating in holding a shredding event Saturday, Jan. 23.  The event will be held at the Cape Coral Police Department, 1100 Cultural Park Blvd., between 9 a.m. and noon.

Individuals will be on hand to help drivers unload their boxes to be shredded; the boxes can be returned if desired.  Shredding will occur on site. 

Cape Coral Police Department Explorers will help direct traffic.

All proceeds of the event will be donated to the Cape Coral Project Lifesaver Programs and the Pilot Club.  Donations of $5 per box to be shredded are suggested.  There should be no binder clips or paper clips attached to paper being shredded.  Commercial boxes will not be accepted.

The Project Lifesaver is a partnership of the Cape Coral Police Department and the Pilot Club of Fort Myers.  The club is a major source of income to support the program.  This is a program where equipment is always in need of replacement due to wear and tear and advancements in technology.  Individuals who tend to wander wear a personalized wristband that emits a tracking signal.

When caregivers notify the Cape Coral Police Department that the person is missing, a search and rescue team responds to the wanderer’s area and starts searching with a mobile locator tracking system.  Search times have been reduced from hours and days to minutes.  A representative of the police department maintains contact with the individuals and personally changes batteries in the bracelet as they are needed.

Unfortunately, the need for this program will not dwindle with time, but increase due to the growing number of people diagnosed with Autism, ASD, Alzheimer’s disease, and Dementia so the need for additional equipment will continue to increase.  The families of those who fall into one of these categories often do not have the money to purchase the needed equipment so the help provided by the Pilot Club through financial support goes a long way.

The focus of the Pilot Club of Fort Myers is helping organizations seeking to improve the quality of life for individuals with brain-related disorders through volunteer activities, education, and financial support. 

The club name came from a riverboat pilot who could steer safely through troubled waters.  The club’s motto is “do more, care more, and be more.” 

For additional information about the Pilot Club, contact the president, Fran D’Alessandro, 239-332-1140, or email at jodyvanc@gmail.com.