Submitted photo ERCC recently donated $1,200 to Project Lifesaver. The program is an initiative by the Randolph County Deputy Sheriff’s Association. Pictured from left are Sgt. Brice Cogar, Cpl. Aaron Beverly, ERCC Administrator Tara Shaver, Cpl. Bryan Roy, Deputy Rocky Hebb and Sgt. Daniel Pennington. All of the officers are with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department.

ELKINS — Elkins Rehabilitation & Care Center is showing its support for a local program designed to help locate individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, other cognitive disorders or autism.

ERCC donated $1,200 to Project Lifesaver, a community initiative sponsored by the Randolph County Deputy Sheriff’s Association. The donation will be used to purchase electronic bracelets that will be provided to those with cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease or people with autism so they can be found if they go missing.

“This is a great program and we’re very happy to be able to participate,” said Tara Shaver, ERCC administrator. Every year, thousands of people with cognitive disorders or autism go missing. This can be combatted by location bracelets such as those that are purchased by this program.

“We have a memory care unit here at our facility,” Shaver said. “We’re very sympathetic to people who suffer from these disorders.”

Shaver went on to say that the families of people with these disorders suffer greatly when the individual goes missing. When an individual with a cognitive disorder goes missing, it can also trigger a large search operation.

“And sometimes they don’t find the person, which is just such a tragedy,” Shaver said.

ERCC wants to do everything in its power to make sure that people with cognitive disorders or those with autism can be found quickly and safely if they go missing, she added. This is part of the overall effort to help keep people in the community safe and secure, she said.

“If this donation helps police find just one person, then it is well worth it,” Shaver noted.