Volunteer with CEI

Volunteer opportunity with Child Enrichment. Monday 11/26. Shifts begin at either 10am or 1pm. Please come help.

Child Enrichment needs our help getting prepared for their fall campaign. The fall campaign is their main means of raising funds to work with abused chldren in the Augusta area. April has asked of we can help them prepare the mailing for this campaign, just as we did for the Art of Chocolate campaign. They will be doing this on Monday November 26th in 2 shifts. The first shift is 10am and the second is 1pm. Please plan to make one or both of the shifts. Email April at azahner@childenrichment.org to let her know you will be there and comment to this post so that we can try to coordinate a carpool. Thanks so much for your help.
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Heart Walk Pictures

The Heart Walk pictures have been uploaded. Due to the...

The Heart Walk pictures have been uploaded. Due to the large file size, the picture presentation had to be broken up into four different files. I'm extremely sorry for the inconvenience, but it was the only way I could upload the files. If anyone has another venue for the massive sized file, please let me (Suma) know. Thanks.
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HPSA Meeting

Just a reminder that our next meeting is October 15, 2007 at 11 am in EC 2214 (Health Sciences Building). We will...

Just a reminder that our next meeting is October 15, 2007 at EC 2214 (Health Sciences Building). We will be having Dr. Sharon Bennett, a nursing professor, as a guest speaker at the meeting, so please arrive promptly.
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Tobacco Free Volunteer at BoShears

Participate in educating the public about tobacco treatment during the BoShears Skyfest on Oct 20-21. Free t-shirt and admission for volunteers.

Participate in educating the public about tobacco treatment during the BoShears Air Fest on 10/20 and 10/21 at Daniel Field. If anyone is interested, they will get a free NFPG t-shirt and a pass to attend the Air Fest for the day. They could sign up for 2 hour slots on either Saturday or Sunday. I have the following time slots available: Saturday, 10A - 12N, or Sunday, 10A-12N, or 12N - 2P. There will be faculty there to help and supervise students. I can take up to 2 students for each time slot.
Contact Sharon Bennett (faculty) through Groupwise to sign up for a slot. Please also post a comment to this blog with your name and hours worked if you end up helping out because we are keeping track of all volunteer hours logged.
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Sunday meetings?

For those of you who cannot make it to the Tuesday meetings, how many are interested in alternating Sunday meetings at 12? Those who are interested are asked to respond to this post so we can have a tally to see if this is a possibility! Read more!

Fall ARC Events

In the "Additional Links" area, a new link has been added for the fall American Red Cross events. Please take a look at the events. If you are able to attend please let me know.
Jackie
jdelash@students.mcg.edu Read more!

Join the Medical Reserve Corps

This is an excellent opportunity with immediate need. Be involved with our local public health department. Gain network contacts. Excellent way to get in for a future internship.
Call Jeff Jackson at 706-833-9221 to find out how to help.

We are looking for Volunteers to work with the Medical Reserve Corps(MRC). We are having an Immunization Drill during the first week of October, so it is very important for you to contact us ASAP! We only have aweek to get you processed and trained, and we really do need your help! We need your help for a variety of duties from Administrative to Patient Counseling.
In addition to the MRC, there are other opportunities in the East Central Health District (ECHD). There are other groups that are sponsoredby various County Health Departments, as well as others sponsored by private nonprofit organizations. We will do our best to find internships and other learning opportunities within the Public Health System for each of you on an individual basis.
Benefits to volunteering at the Health Dept include gaining experience, getting an "inside look" and learning about existing practices and programs (since those in the MPH program are learning to develop new ways to promote Public Health goals, as well as creating new goals andprograms). Also it is a way to get a foothold into the system, to "network"and make contacts, and to get priceless experience that will surely help insecuring a position upon graduation.
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Disaster Action Team Training

The American Red Cross offers free training to become members of Disaster Action Teams. These teams are first responders at the scene of local disasters. Read more to find out about training requirements and schedules.

This is an opportunity with the Augusta Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Disaster Action Teams (DAT) place trained American Red Cross community volunteers at the scene of local disasters. DAT members provide immediate emergency relief to individuals affected by the disaster, and also emergency workers. At this time, five disaster action teams serve our eleven county area; however, the goal is to have at least one DAT team in every county that will respond within their county. The Augusta Chapter DAT's serve Richmond, Columbia, Burke, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Taliaferro, Warren and Wilkes counties. (see http://www.arcaug.org/ for more info)
Training is free for those who complete volunteer applications with the ARC. The skills learned are transferrable to DAT teams anywhere within the US. The training schedule is posted under "Additional links" on the right side of this page.
If you are interested in signing up for this training, contact Jackie Delash through Groupwise or visit the Red Cross to complete the application and sign up.

There is also a Red Cross volunteer update posted under "Additional Links." It lists all Red Cross opportunities (including health fairs) through October. Check it out and if you are interested contact Jackie or the Red Cross directly.



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School Needs Assesment Survey

Please offer your ideas on editing the HPSA needs assessment survey to be distributed to local schools. We can not know what types of programs to create or how to create them without first knowing what is needed. Thanks for your comments. View Survey here Read more!

Date Change for Event

IMPORTANT NEWS: The event with Child Enrichment scheduled for Thursday 9/20 has been rescheduled to Tuesday 9/25. Same time and place but different day. Sorry for the inconvenience. Hope to still see you there. It will be between Stat class (1st year's) and Data Discovery class (2nd year's) so for those of you who don't work, it can squeeze in with the class schedules at least. Read more!

Volunteer Interests

As an organization aimed at public health, our success not only lies in speaking at schools and handing out flyers. We need to dedicate our time by volunteering. As discussed in the meeting today, one idea for a volunteer opportunity is at Camp Lakeside. Camp Lakeside is a YMCA run summer camp and activity center. The Director is interested in having us work on projeccts with the camp. Our first potential project would be from Oct. 8th-26th (Mondays through Fridays) helping out the camp with their pumpkin festival/gathering. The target audience is Pre-K through 2nd grade. There's roughly 400 students, so we need ideas for projects that is short, gains their attention, and is fun of course. We can also come up with ideas for handouts they can take home to practice healthy behavior. There are future programs available at the camp such as helping to build a low ropes course. If you are interested in this venture, then post a comment. Once we get a list of those who are interested, we can tabulate a list of who can go on which days and in what pair or group. The main concern now is to see who all is interested and to gather any ideas on what we could do for games and handouts. :) Read more!

Youth Health

We need ideas for potential projects. We already have a Needs Assessment Survey to pass out to local schools to see what they're interested in for potential projects. Click on the link on the main page to view it. Be sure to look over it and tell us what you think? Any changes? Any addendums? Our main concern now is to come up with some ideas for this committee. Throw out any ideas you have including information to put on handouts, presentations, games to catch their attention...anything. Even if you have connections to some local schools, then that would be great for us to get our name out there. :) Read more!

Environmental Committee Forum

We know that recycling is something we are interested in pursuing with the environmental committee, but by what means will we do this? We need some ideas here. Non-recycling ideas are good too. Whatever we can do to make an impact. We're doing a great job so far! Read more!

Tobacco Free forum

Ideas! Ideas! Ideas! Let's talk over some ideas for what our tobacco free committee can work on. Guest speakers? Seminars? Events? Let's talk this out so that we can take action in this arena. Thanks! Read more!

Heartwalk Event Idea Forum

Ok guys, we need to lock down and get some good ideas flowing for this. At the Heartwalk on Sat Oct 13th, we will be running activity booths for the children that are there. These will be run from 8am-1pm. We need fun ideas for the children but we also have to remember that whatever ideas we come up with, we will need supplies for. Add comments to this thread so we can discuss some ideas and come up with a game plan. The heartwalk coordinator is expecting an answer from us by Weds 9/26 so please post by then if you have ideas. Thanks everyone!! Read more!

Thursday 9/20 Volunteer Event

HPSA members and friends-
This Thursday (Sept 20) we will be participating in a volunteer experience with Child Enrichment, Inc. CEI is a local non-profit organization that was established in 1977 by a group of physicians, nurses and social workers to help abused children overcome their experience and rebuild their lives. Thursday's volunteer experience will involve helping to distribute materials for their upcoming 12th Annual Art of Chocolate Event. We will be helping prepare mailings and collecting posters to put up around the city. If you are interested in participating, please come with us to CEI on Thursday. We will meet at the Bi-Lo parking lot at the intersection of Wrightsboro Road and Highland Ave. We will meet near the street away from the store fronts. I drive a brown colored Nissan Xterra and will be there at 9:45am. Please meet us there at 9:45am and we will carpool to CEI. If you can't make it on Thursday but would like to help with the poster distributing mission, please let us know and we will make sure to call or email you with our poster spreading plans. I know this is a fairly simple task, but the hope is to create relationships with local organizations that promote the same mission as HPSA.
Add a comment to this blog to indicate your interest. Please put your name and what days you are interested in (Thurs, weekend, or both). This way we will know who to look for and add to our plans. (It is easiest to post as anonymous and just type your name in the text of your comment) Read more!

Reminders for the Week of 9/3

Welcome to the HPSA blog! We will use this site to convey important information pertaining to HPSA as well as a discussion forum for new ideas. Please check this frequently for new posts. (I know we are all used to checking Groupwise and Vista daily so what's one more on the list!?) Feel free to comment on posts and add your input. We are all in this organization to make an impact in the community but also to learn from each other. Your opinions and ideas are encouraged and greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Important Reminders:
* Dues of $10 from every HPSA member are expected to be brought to the next meeting on Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 11 am in the DHI building.
* An HPSA get-together will be held on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 at 8 pm at the putt putt/arcades center off Washington Road. It will be an opportunity to meet fellow members as well as relax from all the hectic classwork I'm sure you all have. Those of you who are interested in attending should reply to this so we can have a tally of how many to expect. By Monday, those attending will receive an email with carpool information if desired. The center's contact information is 3763 Martinez Blvd Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 868-0083
* If you have any ideas about projects HPSA can do, please email them to Suma or post them on the blog. This can be a great discussion board for us to work out new ideas.
* Those interested in participating in the AHA Heart Walk on Saturday, October 13, 2007 should register for the team by going to www.augustaheartwalk.kintera.org and joining the team. The team name is "HPSA." There is no charge for participation in this event and it should be a great way for us to get involved in the community. Read more!