Northwestern Ambulance Corps received its fourth $1,000 donation from area organizations supporting its "Save Northwestern Ambulance Challenge."

Owners of New Tripoli Plaza Shell Station, 7391 Route 309, Nick and Anita Singhvi presented the corps with a check for $1,000, Sept. 24.

"On behalf of the corps, we give a special thanks to Nick and Anita for their generosity," said Northwestern Ambulance Corps Vice President Arlene Rex, during the presentation.

Volunteers at Northwestern Ambulance have been reaching out to the community as the corps is struggling to get out of a financial slump.

Since July, they have been working diligently to drum up donations and increase awareness of the corps' crucial role in the community.

Executive Director Kathy Van Allen said with all the donations submitted in response to the letters sent to residents in early July within the corps 104-mile coverage area in Northwestern Lehigh County and parts of Berks County, the volunteer organization is roughly a third of the way to achieving its goal of raising $100,000.

According to Van Allen, the main funding source for the corps is reimbursements from insurance companies following an incident and, many times, insurance companies will pay the patient directly.

If the patient does not reimburse emergency services, the ambulance corps has no way of obtaining the money.

Van Allen said the amount in patient non-reimbursements totals $100,000 and the corps is in danger of closing if it doesn't obtain operational funding.

Thanks to the generosity of the community and area organizations, Van Allen said, the corps is getting closer to the goal.

The Junior Order of United American Mechanics of New Tripoli donated $1,000 to the corps on Aug. 6.

In addition to the donation, members of the Lodge 204 promised they would match the next organization's $1,000 donation, naming the campaign the "Save Northwestern Ambulance Challenge."

Shortly after that, the corps was notified of another $1,000 donation; this time from Central Grange 1650, Germansville.

As promised, the Junior Order of United American Mechanics was there to match the donation.

A few weeks later, Nick and Anita Singhvi joined the challenge by donating $1,000, and keeping the fundraising ball rolling.

Over the summer, volunteers have remained vigilant for the campaign, mailing raffle tickets for a drawing Sept. 28, which included a 40-inch flat screen TV, Apple iPad Mini and a handstitched "Lone Star" quilt.

Next month, volunteers will be putting together mailings for the corps' annual subscription drive. The subscription pamphlet outlines benefits of becoming an ambulance corps subscriber.

According to the pamphlet, being a subscriber not only benefits the emergency services provider, but also tremendously reduces out-of-pocket costs for residents needing emergency services.

Pamphlet recipients are reminded the ambulance corps is a non-profit, volunteer-operated community organization and is not funded by tax dollars.

Van Allen said funds from annual subscriptions and donations are vital to keeping the corps responding to emergency calls.

The corps employs about 20 part-time and full-time EMTs and paramedics who work 24/7 to serve the community.

The average emergency ambulance service can cost more than $1,000.

Van Allen estimated the ambulance corps responds to an average of two emergency calls per day, throughout the year.

For information on donating, matching a challenge or annual subscriptions, call 610-298-2159.

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Winners of the Northwestern Ambulance Corps drawing Sept. 28 include:

1st: Handstitched Improved Lone Star Quilt, Brenda Smoyer, New Tripoli;

2nd: 40-inch LED television, Leonard Bogert, New Tripoli;

3rd: Apple iPad Mini, Terri Heckman, Germansville

4th: $100 Visa Gift Card compliments ESSA Bank, Robert Weaver, Jr., Germansville;

5th: $50 cash compliments Robert S. Nester Funeral Home, Russell Dalrymple, New Tripoli;

6th: $50 gift certificate for Hartman's Butcher Shop, Tom Teprovich, Germansville;

7th: $50 gift certificate for The Mill In Germansville, Ken Glogovsky, Kempton;

8th: $25 gift certificate for Katie's Family Restaurant, Dorothy Kemmerling, New Tripoli;

9th: $25 gift certificate for Schleicher's Family Restaurant, Jamie Zanelli, Germansville;

10th: $25 gift certificate for Schleicher's Family Restaurant, Gerald Kressley, Germansville;

11th: $25 gift certificate for Northern Valley Auto, Michele Quier.