Camden County, Georgia Named Newest Recipient for Project Lifesaver Equipment

/PRNewswire/ -- The National Autism Association (NAA) announced today that Camden County, Georgia is the newest grant recipient of Project Lifesaver/LoJack equipment funding through NAA's FOUND Program. FOUND was developed by NAA to counter the rise in wandering-related deaths among children with autism spectrum disorders.

The FOUND grant, awarded to the county's sheriff office, includes funds for the equipment and five wristbands for children with autism at high risk for wandering. Training dates are set for September 28 - 30.

Project Lifesaver is a nationwide tracking program designed to quickly locate and rescue missing persons with cognitive impairments and developmental disabilities. Counties are chosen by NAA based on need. Due to its 100% recovery rate, NAA hopes more counties will implement the Project Lifesaver Program.

FOUND relies heavily on donations. Donors have a choice to adopt an entire county or a partial county for any given amount by visiting www.nationalautism.org. Parents and caregivers can also find safety tips at www.nationalautismassociation.org/safetytoolkit.

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Georgia seniors enter nursing homes later in life thanks to nutritional wellness program

Results from a study on the impact of a Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Aging Services (DAS) nutritional wellness program reveals older Georgians are staying in their own homes longer before having to enter a nursing home.

Since state fiscal year 2007, nursing home placements for older adults involved in DAS nutrition programs have been increasingly delayed. In state fiscal year 2008, for example, older adults avoided nursing home placement an average of three years longer than older adults not involved in the program.

“What this really means is that good nutrition is a major factor in keeping older Georgians healthy and more independent,” said Maria Greene, director of DAS. “Our nutrition programs provide healthy meals to thousands of seniors across the state. Since there is a direct link between poor nutrition and chronic health problems, providing older adults access to fresh produce and healthy foods can seriously improve their quality of life.”

The results of the study are part of the Performance Outcomes Measurement Project (POMP), a federal initiative that measures the effectiveness of Title III services, including nutrition programs, for older Americans. The study measured the level of “food insecurity” experienced by participating older Georgians. Food insecurity refers to the limited or uncertain availability of safe, nutritious foods.

The POMP study found that 11.5% of participants in Georgia were experiencing food insecurity. The Division of Aging Services provides a variety of services to older adults to address this issue, including nutrition screening, prepared meals, nutrition education and a Farmer’s Market program that makes fresh, locally grown produce available to seniors.

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US State Department Brings Foreign Journalists to Hear About Drug Prevention Efforts in Georgia

/PRNewswire/ -- On July 17 members of the US State Department's Washington Foreign Press Center brought 10 foreign journalists to The Council on Alcohol and Drugs, a drug prevention agency in Atlanta. The purpose of their visit was to hear about Georgia's efforts to reduce drug demand by preventing it.

The journalists, from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Haiti, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, came to discuss how the US is working in conjunction with other governments in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean to combat drug use, and how prevention can be a part of that effort. The goal of the tour is for the journalists to write/broadcast stories about what the US is doing, in cooperation with their countries, about these important issues.

The journalists are particularly concerned because, as Secretary Hillary Clinton has noted, the great demand for illegal drugs in the United States contributes to the issues Mexico and Central America have in regard to supply. As she stated during a recent trip to Mexico, "We have made a commitment to assist the Government of Mexico in its struggle against the drug traffickers, and we have accepted that this is a co-responsibility. We know very well that the drug traffickers are motivated by the demand for illegal drugs in the United States."

Chuck Wade, the Council's President & CEO stated that, "The US is 4% of the world's population but consumes 66% of the world's illegal drugs."

"Our 'demand' problem causes much of their 'supply' problem," stated Dr. Gregg Raduka, Director of Prevention/Intervention with The Council.

The journalists were very interested in hearing about The Council on Alcohol and Drugs' prevention programs such as Drugs Don't Work in Georgia which certifies drug-free workplaces, the Georgia Underage Drinking Prevention Initiative, and Middle After School Prevention Programming, a comprehensive program for 10-15 year olds which includes drug prevention. These programs are funded primarily by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Office of Prevention Services and Programs, and the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta.

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Oak Hill Offers Senior Scholars Program for Spring at Berry College

The Berry College Senior Scholars Program returns this spring with a full slate of courses designed to challenge, educate and enrich the lives of people 55 and older. Oak Hill and The Martha Berry Museum will host the program beginning Feb. 17. Classes will be held each Tuesday through April 14 with the exception of March 17 (spring break at Berry).

Registration for the program is $75 for three classes, $60 for two classes or $30 for a single course. Contact Patrice Shannon at 706-368-6775 or pclonts@berry.edu for more information or to register. Course offerings include:

CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY: 9-10 a.m.

This course will cover the fundamentals of camera operation, photographic film and digital imaging, lenses, depth of field, and exposure meters. Students also will receive helpful tips on photographing people, composition, using flash, available light photography and action photography.

Instructor: Alan Storey, a talented photographer and staff member at Berry College for more than 35 years. He currently serves as director of photographic services and community relations for the Office of Public Relations and Marketing.

FINE ART, TOLE: 9-11 a.m.

This class is for the serious painter. Subjects will include how to mix paint and how to fill a brush properly. Students will learn about brush strokes and how to put them together, making it possible to paint anything they desire.

Instructor: Elizabeth Sparks, a certified teacher of art for more than 25 years. Now retired, Elizabeth continues to teach in her in-home studio.

BOOK DISCUSSION – “MOBY DICK”: 11 a.m. to Noon

“Call me Ishmael.” With the first sentence of his flawed masterpiece Moby Dick (1851), Herman Melville introduced one of the most compelling voices in American literature. Although a critical and financial failure when first published, some now argue that “Moby Dick” is the finest novel written in English. This class will discuss how Melville set out to create and dramatize a democratic form of tragedy.

Instructor: Dr. Christopher Diller, associate professor of English, rhetoric and writing at Berry College.

FOUNDING FATHERS: 11 a.m. to Noon

Our journey this semester will involve chasing a dream as well as a reality. Participants will ponder questions about the Founding Fathers of our nation like: Were the thinkers and the doers as unusual as subsequent generations of people found them to be? Were they the heroes of the new nation? Or possibly, were they simply the right people at the right time? This class will discuss and analyze the political thought which spawned a revolution.

Instructor: Dr. N. Gordon Carper, Dana professor of history emeritus, Berry College.

BOOK DISCUSSION – “MAMA DAY”: 1-2 p.m.

This class will look at African-American history and culture through the lens of Gloria Naylor’s 1988 novel, “Mama Day.” Set in New York City and on Willow Springs, an island that belongs neither to Georgia nor South Carolina, “Mama Day” takes readers on a compelling journey through multiple generations of the Day family. Along the way, Naylor touches on key components of African-American history and culture including slavery and its oppression as well as the continual resistance of those who were enslaved, the strength of all-black communities, the rich folk traditions of rural black life, spirituality, inter-racial relationships, intra-racial prejudice, and gender issues.

Instructor: Dr. Christian G. Bucher, associate professor of English, rhetoric and writing at Berry College.

THAI CHI: 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Taijiquan is a meditative martial art that originated in the Taoist traditions of medieval China. The central aim of the art is to attain a state of internal balance and to bring one’s self into greater harmony. Taijiquan strengthens the muscles, improves circulation, and brings about an integration of body, breath and awareness.

Instructor: Dr. Jeffery Lidke, assistant professor of religion at Berry College.

In addition to these courses, Senior Scholars will feature two lunch-time discussions. These one-hour sessions will be held at noon Feb. 17 and March 10. Participants are encouraged to bring their own lunch; Oak Hill will provide drinks and chips. On Feb. 17, Barry Benton will discuss the topic of personality profiling. On March 10, Shannon Bond will focus on self-defense for seniors. These sessions are free of charge and will take place in the Garden Room of the Oak Hill Gift Shop.

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Justice Department, U.S. Attorney's Office Announce Contacts to Handle Election-Related Complaints

United States Attorney David E. Nahmias announced today that William R. Toliver, an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in Atlanta, will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department's nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 4, 2008 general elections. AUSA Toliver has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the Northern District of Georgia, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District's handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

United States Attorney Nahmias said, "We are committed to assuring an honest and fair election, and to assuring that every lawful vote is counted. Election fraud and voting rights abuses dilute and preclude honest votes. They strike at the very heart of our rights as citizens and corrupt the essence of our representative form of government. As such, we will address credible reports of election fraud and voting rights violations promptly and aggressively. Anyone who has information suggesting electoral corruption or voting rights abuses should make that information available immediately to the FBI, my Office, or the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division."

On October 8, 2002, Attorney General John Ashcroft established a Department-wide Ballot Access and Voting Integrity Initiative. The goals of this Initiative are to increase the Department's ability to deter voter intimidation, suppression, discrimination and election fraud and to prosecute these offenses whenever and wherever they occur--to make voting easier and cheating harder. Both goals are equally important. It is imperative that in pursuing voter integrity, ballot access is not in any way diminished or harmed. The Department's long-standing Election Day Program furthers the goals of the Initiative. The Program also is intended to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department where the public can report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day. The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it, while those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.

In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 4, 2008, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, U.S. Attorney Nahmias stated that AUSA Toliver will be on duty while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 404-581-6000.

The FBI will also have Special Agents available in the Atlanta Field Office and each resident agency in this District to receive allegations of election fraud, intimidation, suppression and other election abuses. The FBI can be reached by the public at 404-679-9000.

Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division's Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767. Where voter intimidation or suppression tactics target voters on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin, the Civil Rights Division's Criminal Section may be contacted at 202-514-3204.

For further information please contact David E. Nahmias (pronounced NAH-me-us), United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney's Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan.

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Dr. Dodani Receives Community Service Award

Dr. Sunita Dodani, assistant dean for research in the Medical College of Georgia School of Nursing, has received a community service award for a program using churches to disseminate healthy lifestyle information.

Her Fit Body & Soul study promoted behavioral lifestyle change through weight loss, exercise and nutrition through 12 weeks of sessions in black churches.

Dr. Dodani will receive the 2008 Community Service Award from the International Society on Hypertension in Blacks at a July 18 awards ceremony during the society's annual conference in New Orleans. She also will present findings from the study and two studies of coronary artery disease in South Asian immigrants at the conference.

Dr. Dodani, an epidemiologist and cardiologist, came to MCG in 2006 from the University of Pittsburgh, where she received a doctoral degree in epidemiology and a certificate in global health. She earned her medical degree from The Aga Khan University in Pakistan and completed a cardiology fellowship at the University of Colorado Denver. She earned a master’s degree in clinical epidemiology from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia.

In 2001, Dr. Dodani received the National Gold Medal as the youngest researcher in Pakistan. She is a reviewer for nine journals, including American Journal of Public Health, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Globalization & Health. She is a fellow of the American Heart Association and a corresponding member of the Cardiovascular Diseases Expert Group for the World Health Organization’s new Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study.

Students Named to U.S. Senate Youth Program

U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson have announced that two Georgia students will be among 104 delegates to the United States Senate Youth Program March 1-March 8 in Washington D.C. The students will also each receive a $5,000 scholarship.

The winners were Logan Krusac of Campbell High School in Cobb County and Alan Binder of Greater Atlanta Christian School in Gwinnett County. Chosen as alternates were Cameron Day of Trion (City) High School and Joshua Buttenhoff, of Northwest Whitfield High School in Whitfield County.

Students are nominated by their teachers and principals and are interviewed by staff members from the Georgia Department of Education. The winning delegates are submitted by State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox.

"Congratulations to Logan and Alan for being chosen to represent the great state of Georgia at the United States Senate Youth Program. This will be an experience that will change their lives," Superintendent Cox said. "I also want to congratulate our alternates and all those who were nominated by their teachers and principals."

Release from the Senate:

Georgia Students Selected for United States Senate Youth Program
-- Students Headed to Washington and to Receive $5000 Scholarship--

Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson today announced the names of the two Georgia students who have been selected as delegates to the 46th Annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) that will be held March 1 – 8, 2008 in Washington, D.C. Alan Blinder of Norcross and Logan Krusac of Acworth were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be part of the group of 104 student delegates who will attend the program’s 46th Annual Washington Week.

The USSYP was created by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962 and has been sponsored by the Senate and fully funded by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation since inception. Originally proposed by Senators Kuchel, Mansfield, Dirksen and Humphrey, the impetus for the program as stated in Senate testimony was “to increase young Americans’ understanding of the interrelationships of the three branches of government, the caliber and responsibilities of federally elected and appointed officials, and the vital importance of democratic decision making not only for America but for people around the world.”

Each year this extremely competitive merit-based program brings 104 of the most outstanding high school students -- two from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity -- to Washington, D.C. for an intensive week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it. The overall mission of the program is to help instill within each class of USSYP student delegates more profound knowledge of the American political process and a lifelong commitment to public service. In addition to the program week, the foundation grants each of the 104 student delegates a $5,000 college scholarship with encouragement to continue coursework in government, history and public affairs. Transportation and all expenses for Washington Week are provided by the foundation, as stipulated in S.Res.324; no government funds are utilized.

Alan Blinder is Class President at the Greater Atlanta Christian School. His leadership activities include: Treasurer of the National Honor Society, Managing Editor of the Literary Magazine and National Chairman and Executive Director of Teens for Bush. Alan also is active with the Beta Club, Envirothon, Forensics Team, Civic Leadership Development Program, and the International Studies Program. He plans to pursue an interdisciplinary degree in neuroscience.

Logan Krusac is Student Council President at Campbell High School. Logan also serves as Governor of Georgia Boys State and lead prosecutor of Mock Trial. He is active in Model United Nations, Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra, Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership Summit, CNN Leadership Unplugged, Economics for Leaders, and National Student Leadership Conference. He plans to pursue a degree in political science.

Chosen as alternates to the 2008 program were Cameron Day, a resident of Summerville, who attends Trion High School and Joshua Buttenhoff, a resident of Tunnel Hill, who attends Northwest Whitfield High School

The chief educational officer in each state selects the delegates after nomination by teachers and principals. This year’s delegates were designated by Ms. Kathy Cox,
State Superintendent of Schools.

While in Washington the student delegates will attend meetings and briefings with Senate leadership, other Senators and Congressional staff; the President, a Justice of the Supreme Court, leaders of cabinet agencies, an Ambassador to the United States and top members of the national media. The students will also tour many of the national monuments and several museums and they will stay at the historic Mayflower hotel in downtown Washington, D.C.

In addition to outstanding leadership abilities and a strong commitment to public service, this year’s students rank academically in the top one percent of their states. They continue to excel and develop impressive qualities that are often directed toward public service. Among the many distinguished former program delegates are Senator Susan Collins of Maine, the first program delegate elected to the Senate; Judge Robert Henry, U.S. Court of Appeals; former Ambassador to West Germany Richard Burt; former Presidential Advisor Karl Rove and former Presidential Advisor Thomas "Mack" McLarty. Additional distinguished alumni are former Lt. Governor of Idaho David LeRoy, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Christopher Christie, military officers, Foreign Service Officers, members of State Legislatures, top Congressional staff, healthcare providers and university educators.

Members of the USSYP 2008 46th Annual Senate Advisory Committee are: Co-Chairs — Senator Dianne Feinstein of California and Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas. Advisory Committee — Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania, Senator Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii, Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, Senator Michael B. Enzi of Wyoming, Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas. Each year, the Honorary Co-Chairs of the program are the Senate Majority and Minority Leaders and the Vice President of the United States.