WHAT’S HAPPENED

Go Jump in the Lake 5K

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Many runners and walkers added exercise and fun to their Labor Day weekend for the 13th running of the Go Jump in the Lake 5K and 1.5 Mile Fun Run/Walk, held in Boiling Spring Lakes. Southport Rotary invited participants to run, walk or roll — and to make a splash into the lake at the finish line.

Celebrate Calabash Festival

The Celebrate Calabash Festival in Calabash Town Park offered shopping from local vendors, food trucks, music, activities for children and the opportunity to learn history about the town that is called the Seafood Capital of the World. Sponsored by the Town of Calabash and organized by its Community Services Committee, the free event will return in 2023.

McLeod Nurse Seacoast Receives DAISY Award

McLeod Seacoast recently awarded a Daisy Award for outstanding service and care to Shannon Hartman, RN in McLeod Seacoast Intensive Care Unit. She was nominated by a patient for her extraordinary care and compassion. To recognize those nurses at McLeod Health who are true examples of nursing excellence, patients, family members and co-workers may nominate nurses for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.

Dosher Community Cookout and Birthday Party

Dosher Memorial Hospital held its community cookout and 92nd birthday party on June 11 at the hospital’s back entrance. More than 300 guests enjoyed a cookout lunch, music, games and the camaraderie of friends, neighbors, Dosher staff, members of the Dosher Trustees, Dosher volunteers, Dosher Foundation Board members and hospital leaders. Speakers included Mayor of Southport and Director of Dosher’s Department of Emergency Medicine Dr. Joseph Hatem, Chairman of the Dosher Board of Trustees Robert Howard, Dosher President and CEO Lynda Stanley, Former Dosher CEO Edger Haywood III and Randy Jones, Dosher Trustee and great grandson of hospital founder Dr. J. Arthur Dosher. The speaker program included a formal dedication of an academic scholarship named for Haywood, who served as the CEO and Administrator of Dosher Hospital from 1992 to 2012. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a student at Brunswick Community College pursuing a healthcare degree. Community support for the hospital was an overarching theme in the speakers’ remarks and reflective in the enthusiasm of the attendees.

McLeod Air Reach Celebrates 10 Years

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It has been ten years since McLeod Health launched McLeod Air Reach, the Air Ambulance Service as part of the McLeod Critical Care Transport Team. In the time McLeod Air Reach has served the hospitals of McLeod Health, they have transported and cared for more than 3,600 patients throughout the region. The primary purpose of McLeod Air Reach is to provide rapid access to medical care for critically ill or injured patients throughout the Pee Dee and Grand Strand areas. Med Trans Corporation, which has been in the air ambulance business for 30 years, is the service provider. The air medical team operates in a specially configured Bell 407 medical helicopter, one of the most advanced medical helicopters available. Advanced safety features include satellite navigation and tracking, on-board weather radar, helicopter terrain alert warning systems (HTAWS) and night-vision goggle technology. All flights are monitored by the Med Trans Communications Center in Lewisville, Texas.

The McLeod Air Reach helicopter is painted in recognizable McLeod teal and white with required air ambulance markings. The crew and the helicopter are stationed at the Marion County Airport providing the best circle of coverage within a 150-mile radius of its central location. Services are provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week for both pediatric and adult patients.

Annual Firefighter’s Freedom Competition

Southport Fire Department presented the 37th annual Firefighter’s Freedom Competition on July 2 at the Southport Fire Substation on Nash Street. This event has drawn firefighters from area fire departments to compete since 1984. What looks like fun games to the spectators is really an event to test the teamwork of a department, as it pays homage to the training and firefighting methods of the past. One competition was the Bucket Brigade, a method of extinguishing fires until the invention of the hand-pumped fire engine, which requires a tremendous amount of teamwork and physical endurance. Other competitive events include Tanker Tug, Command Post, Pie Eating, Donut Bowling and Barrel Push. Fire engines, ladder trucks and equipment were on display, and firefighters were available to answer any questions. The public came out to view the competition, see fire apparatus displays, take tours, visit with fire vendors and enjoy water sprinklers and activities for children.

Dosher Foundation Welcomes New Board Members and Executive Officers

Dosher Memorial Hospital Foundation welcomes new Board of Directors Dr. Linda Sharkey, PhD and Josh Winslow. They join current Foundation board members Joe Agovino, Beckie Armstrong, Barbara Boland, John Erwin, Libby Featherston, Jwantana Gardner-Frink, Tish Hatem, Trisha Howarth, Randy Jones, Adam Powell, Susan Rabon, Ed Rau, Jeri Robinson, Melody Ryan, Maurice Smith and Russ Thompson. Boland is the newly elected chair, and Thompson, the newly elected vice chair. Howarth is the newly elected secretary, and Featherston will serve another year as treasurer. Also serving on the Foundation Board is Lynda Stanley, CEO/President of Dosher Memorial Hospital. Dr. Sharkey is a transformation expert, author, speaker and global leadership development coach who holds a PhD in Organization Development from Benedictine University, an MBA from Russel Sage College and a BA in History from Nazareth College. She has held senior human resource executive positions at Hewlett-Packard and GE Capital. Dr. Sharkey has been a resident of Brunswick County for eight years. Josh Winslow is the CEO and general manager of Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation (BEMC) since 2019. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from N.C. State University, and he is a licensed professional engineer. In his more than 17 years with the co-op, he has served as a staff electrical engineer, manager of operations, and as COO. The Dosher Foundation volunteer Board of Directors is made up of a broad spectrum of community members and is charged with the responsibility of managing donations and allocating Foundation funds either as directed by the donor, or to maximize the effectiveness of the contribution. Board members work alongside Antonette (Toni) McAndrews, development specialist, to further the mission of the Foundation.

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#GiveHealthy Drive-Through Food Collection Event

Dosher Memorial Hospital, in partnership with the Brunswick Wellness Coalition (BWC), hosted a #GiveHealthy drive through food donation event to benefit identified high-need areas within Brunswick County. Donors drove up to the hospital front entrance on the morning of July 20 and dropped off more than 200 pounds of food and $60 in cash donations. BWC staff distributed the donations to local food pantries and other nonprofit organizations that promote access to nutritious foods.

New Hope Clinic Earns Gold Rating from the NAFC Quality Standards Program

New Hope Clinic has earned a 2022 Gold Rating from the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) Quality Standards Program. By self-attesting that the organization has certain policies and procedures in place, it is able to highlight its commitment to providing quality care to patients. The NAFC’s mission is to ensure the medically underserved have access to affordable healthcare, and its members are dedicated to ensuring that patients receive quality healthcare. NAFC Quality Standards elements include policies and procedures related to the following areas: Administrative, Clinic/Pharmacy Responsibilities, Credentialing and Privileging Systems, Patient Care and Risk Management Systems.

Shallotte Elks #2854 Donates to Kiwanis Summer Reading Program

Shallotte Elks #2854 donated $2,000 from their Spotlight Grant to the Shallotte South Brunswick Islands Kiwanis Club to assist with food, books and backpacks for the new Summer Reading Program at Cardinal Pointe.

Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation Opens

Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. Fairway’s office is at 8509 E. Oak Island Drive, Unit 2, Suites C & D on Oak Island. If you are in the market for a home loan or a refinance, give Jackie a call at (919) 265-5075. Their goal is to help everyone achieve their dream of owning a home.

Calabash Elks Ladies Auxiliary Provides School Supplies for Kids in Need

Every year for the past 10 years, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Elks Lodge in Calabash have collected and purchased school supplies for students in need who attend the Waccamaw School in Ash. Thanks to Elks members, friends and volunteers, the ladies delivered a huge quantity of varied supplies to the school, so much at it took three vehicles filled to the brim to transport them. The school administrators and the guidance counselors determine which students are in need and distribute the supplies accordingly. The Waccamaw School is just one of the many local charities to which the Ladies Auxiliary donates throughout the year.

Calabash Elks Donate to Camp Carefree

The Calabash Elks Lodge recently held a Community Day in the Park with proceeds going to Camp Carefree. The event featured music, games and food vendors and raised $2,000. Camp Carefree, located in Stokesdale, North Carolina, provides free, one-week camping experiences for kids with chronic illnesses. Camp Carefree provides them with needed freedom to play, learn and have fun with others who encounter similar difficulties. The psychological, recreational and physical benefits of camping with their peers can help make their personal battle easier to bear. Sharing their feelings with others who really know what it’s like to live with someone with a chronic health problem or disability helps these children know they are not alone in their plight.