(From L-R) Lauren Shamblin, Tar Wars State Manager, Kaneisha Smith, NWGA Regional Cancer Coalition, and Ciara McKnight, A Teen’s Choice

On April 22, Tar Wars State Manager Lauren Shamblin joined Kaneisha Smith from the Northwest Georgia Regional Cancer Coalition to present Tar Wars to A Teen’s Choice in Rome, Georgia. A Teen’s Choice is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help each individual they serve build self-esteem and meet their own unique potential. The students who participated were attentive and stated that they learned new information that surprised them about how vaping could impact their lives. Ciara McKnight, founder and CEO of A Teen’s Choice, praised the work of Tar Wars and was grateful her students had the opportunity to view the presentation.

Did you know Tar Wars can be offered outside the classroom to community groups? Other opportunities including 4-H groups will be participating in Tar Wars this summer. If you know of a community group that could benefit from Tar Wars, please email Tar Wars State Manager Lauren Shamblin at lshamblin@gafp.org.

The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance (GHFA) is currently seeking applications for the second cycle of the 2024 Community Health Grant Awards program. Grant awards of up to $5,000 are made to GAFP member affiliated community organizations that support program priorities including underserved populations and community projects that promote healthy practices. Current GAFP members including medical students, residents and active/ life members are eligible to apply. The application deadline for second cycle 2024 awards is May 14. Second cycle grant awards will be announced in June 2024.

Over the last twelve years, the Community Health Grant Program has given over $720,000 in grants back to GAFP members, residency programs, FMIG groups and their communities including Adult Disability Medical Healthcare’s (ADMH) “Get Fit and Be Healthy” project pictured at left and led by GAFP member Dr. Andrea Videlefsky.    

Visit www.georgiahealthyfamilyalliance.org/grants/ to download the 2024 grant application or view a list of previously funded grant projects.

Even if you do not have a community project that could benefit from a grant, please consider contributing so that the Alliance can continue to support these vital projects. All donations are tax deductible. Alliance contributions can be made easily online at www.georgiahealthyfamilyalliance.org/donate or via the QR code below.

Camp Blown Away is a six-night, five-day residential camp for youth aged 6-14 with an asthma diagnosis. The camp includes traditional camp activities such as s’mores, swimming, climbing, and making friends, while campers also learn more about their asthma diagnosis. Camp Blown Away will take place June 2-7 at Camp Will-A-Way in Winder, Georgia. The only cost associated with the camp is a $50 deposit which is returned when the camper arrives for check-in. Please email TK Humphries at tk@camptwinlakes.org to register (while spaces remain). Registration can also be completed through the QR code on the flyer. Camp Blown Away registration is filling up fast and ends April 30. Please share this information with your patients who may qualify! 

If you know of any summer programs that may be interested in including Tar Wars in their summer programming, please email the name of the program and, if possible, a contact person to Tar Wars State Manager Lauren Shamblin at lshamblin@gafp.org.

Tar Wars and Camp Blown Away are funded in part by a grant from the W.G. Raoul Foundation. The Foundation was established to address lung-related diseases in the State of Georgia and is particularly interested in pediatric asthma programs.