Chapel lends a helping hand with medical supplies

As many Longboat Key community members come and go throughout the year, they can't always bring cumbersome medical equipment with them. So, what is a resident to do when they arrive and need to replace that equipment, or when they are leaving for the season but don't have room to pack that equipment?

Longboat Island Chapel stepped in to benefit everyone.

Volunteers run an on-site medical gifting closet, where members of the public can donate and receive needed supplies for free. Office manager Becky Lietzau explained the church has been running the closet for as long as she can remember, and volunteers are reminding residents that it is open to everyone, not just church members.

"When people come in for the season and are looking for something for themselves or a parent, or if they have someone visiting just for a month or two, we're here for them," she said.

The closet holds items including wheelchairs, rollators, shower chairs, bedside commodes, canes, crutches and more.

Anyone can use the equipment for free for as long as they need, and Lietzau said with a wink that if some of the more common pieces like crutches disappear forever, the church doesn't mind.

"Things like knee scooters can be expensive to rent," she added.

She noted second-hand shops have limited capacity, so it only makes sense for a community organization to host an exchange specifically for medical equipment.

Photo by Dana Kampa

Blood pressure monitors are always in demand, Lietzau said, and the chapel always welcomes donations.

There are only a few items the chapel doesn't accept for practical reasons, including oxygen tanks and hospital beds. The chapel cannot accept any excessively heavy items while its storm-damaged elevator is out of commission. But Lietzau said volunteers are always happy to help inquirers find the resources they need.

When the chapel ends up with more equipment than it can use or is searching for a specific item, volunteers work with North Hillsborough Baptist Church in Arcadia, Lietzau said.

She said users should bear in mind volunteers make sure the equipment is clean and appears in good condition, but it is up to the user to ensure everything works as it should.

The gift closet is a win-win for the community, she said, considering it helps people get what they need and keeps useful supplies from going unused, or worse, landing in a landfill.