Upcoming Events
October 1
Benefit Bike Run
Lexington, SC
October 20
Jeffrey Vaden Chavis Golf Tournament
Lexington, SC
December 6
Shop with a Doc
For more information contact Bobbie Jo Gainey at b.gainey@burnshurtwehelp.org |
Just a Thought...
philanthropist
fa-ˈlan(t)-thra-pist (noun) A person who has become strategic in his/her giving, regardless of the monetary amount contributed. |
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Hats off to
Mrs. Deborah Smith for her work on the 2011 Eightenth Annual Gospel Sing. |
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Stop, Drop, and Read October 2011 |
Greetings!
Occasionally, someone will ask, "How do you and the staff stay so upbeat when faced with helping families cope with pain and grief?" The quick answer is: "We are not always upbeat, but we try!" We get our inspiration from courageous burn survivors and their families who often turn their pain into purpose. Recently, the Turansky family traveled from Warner Robins to present the Foundation with a check. They have been raising funds for the Foundation since losing their 19 year old son, Kyle, last September. Although Kyle was never a patient at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center, they believe he would have been if he had survived the car accident. They each wore a button with a picture of Kyle. I looked at the handsome face of a young man who was a student at Georgia Southern and loved playing baseball. The Turanskys and I talked. We hugged; we shed a few tears. When we said good-bye, I thanked them and knew that the work I did that day would be in memory of Kyle. |
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Mission Possible
With Kiokee Baptist Church in Appling, GA
Kiokee Baptist Church is the oldest continuing Baptist church in Georgia. The Marian Hulme Circle of the WMU Society at Kiokee was formed over 80 years ago. This Circle has nearly 40 members who participate in various ministries around the Augusta area, and they are faithful in helping the Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation (SFBF) as well.
For nearly a decade the Marian Hulme Circle has provided meals to the SFBF meals program. They provide Blimpie sandwiches, chips and tea every other "even" month - that's February, April, June, August, October and December - according to Circle member, Louise Morris.
Mrs. Morris has been a member of the Marian Hulme Circle for 40 years. She considers the SFBF meals program as a ministry. "Our mission is to spread the Gospel of Jesus and show compassion to the families visiting loved ones at the burn unit," said Mrs. Morris.
Thank you, Kiokee Baptist. You are a blessing to our Foundation!
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Last year, about 25% of the admissions to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center was children under the age of 17, most injured through an accident involving a flame or scald. Last month thousands of elementary school students in Columbia and Richmond counties were involved in our Can-it! "Can-paign." that benefited the Foundation's new Pediatric Burn Fund. Families were encouraged to collect and bag aluminum cans and then take them to one of our collection trailers at a nearby fire stations. When these cans were collected and recycled, we saw a 55% increase in can collections, resulting in a gift of $5,420 to the Pediatric Burn Fund. Thanks so much to the hundreds of families who took time to collect cans, the elementary school principals and teachers who made this a class project, the firefighters who managed the collection sites, Columbia County's EMS and Public Utilities departments that helped get the word out, The Alison Group that donated its design services, and the American Red Cross Youth Board which assembled hundreds of school packets. Because of you, our community is a little cleaner and our Pediatric Burn Fund is off to a good start. |
Angels Among Us
2011 Faith Partners Appreciation Banquet
One of the reasons why the Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation is successful in assisting families of burn patients is due to its partnership with Faith-based organizations that generously provide delicious meals for our families 365 days a year.
Last month we literally turned the tables and honored these churches and organizations at a banquet in their honor at First Baptist Church on Walton Way. More than 25 churches were represented, including a few that have been serving meals to the burn unit over 30 years.
The keynote speaker was Bart Grey, Manager of Volunteer Services and the Gift Shop at Doctors Hospital. Bart shared his experience of the Imperial Sugar Refinery explosion, an accident near Savannah, GA in 2008, that caused 20 critically burned employees to be treated at the Burn Center. Bart expressed how this incident changed his life and led him closer to God when he was thrust into the situation of taking care of hundreds of family members as they rushed to Augusta to be near their loved ones. Caring for others brought joy to Bart's life, and helped him realize a new purpose in his life to serve others.
If you would like to learn more about the Meals Program, call 706.650.2876 |
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The last word...
If you are a fan of ABC's Dancing with the Stars, you might have a special connection to one of this year's dancers. J.R. Martinez is an Iraq war veteran, motivational speaker and actor on ABC's All My Children. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Phoenix Society, a national organization founded by burn survivors to ensure that other survivors have the support of those who have truly "been there." The Phoenix Society takes its name from the legendary bird that lives 500 years and is consumed by flame, but rises again, reborn from its ashes, more brilliant than before. Not only is J.R. a good dancer, he serves as an inspiration to other burn survivors. Good luck, J.R.!
Jo
Jo Maypole
Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation |
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