Views from the Shore
By Brian Cahill
Like most of us, I get calls on my phone and when I see the name pop up, I’m tempted let go to voicemail because I’m in the middle of a hundred things. One particular time last year, my phone rang, and I’m so glad I answered it. The call came in from Hector Tavarez, the founder and executive director of the Police Activities League (PAL) of Egg Harbor Township and Atlantic County.
Hector is a long-time friend who runs the nationally ranked robotics team at the PAL. He is so proud of these students and has an incredible passion for helping them push beyond their limits. During this phone call, he invited me to meet this team regarding a recent innovation.
Their presentation showcased an innovative Easter Egg Hunt designed specifically for visually impaired individuals. The Robotics Program engineered 3D-printed eggs in which chips were placed that emitted sounds. This was to guide participants to locate the eggs. Seeing how these young minds engineered this entire project was nothing short of inspiring.
“This team amazes me every day,” Hector told me the other day. “They accept every challenge with open arms and turn it into something better than I could have imagined. I have witnessed these incredibly smart individuals use their talents to make a real difference in people’s lives and I am so proud of them.”
While I was watching this presentation about the impressive easter eggs, I thought about what else they could create. I immediately thought of our sensory care programs at Shore Medical Center and the fidget toys that are given to the patients to add comfort for their visits. I asked them if they could design fidget toys for us, and they accepted the challenge.
Last week, they proudly presented me with their gift of 3D printed fidget toys, and I eagerly accepted on behalf of the Shore team. These fidget toys will help patients in our pediatric sensory program in Shore’s ER, our new outpatient sensory lab, set to open in April, and adult sensory program in our emergency department, set to open in June.
“I always tell these students that technology is just a tool,” Hector said. “What matters is how you use this tool to make the world a better place. They are the future.”
As I walked back to my car after attending the presentation, I thought two things to myself: The first, is that these members of the robotics team are going to have a tremendous impact on the local community, and wherever they go in the future. The second, is that I need to stop letting my phone calls go to voicemail, because the next great idea could quite possibly be on the other end!
Brian Cahill is the Director of Marketing for Shore Medical Center and Shore Physicians Group. He is also volunteers on the Board of the Somers Point Business Association and is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Business at Stockton University.
