NC gives away fans to keep the elderly cool in the summer

People who are age 60 and older or are disabled can receive one fan each year to help cool down their homes in the summer heat.

"This is much more than a comfort issue. It really helps protect the health and safety of some of our most vulnerable residents," Dennis Streets, director of the state Division of Aging and Adult Services, said in a statement Thursday.

Last year, Operation Fan/Heat Relief distributed 8,435 fans and 83 air conditions. Groups, including Dominion Resources, Duke Energy, Progress Energy and the Valassis Giving Committee, donated $135,000 to fund the program.

It's run entirely on donations and uses no public money.