Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/337667
Leadership Macon 2013 e Class of 2013 for Leadership Macon, a program sponsored by e Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, spent eleven months studying the needs of Macon-Bibb County and uncovered one of the most cost prohibiting health disparities in the nation today — the lack of affordable healthcare resources for the working poor. After much consideration, SPIN (Surgery For People In Need) was created as an option for those that qualify as the "working poor" to receive free outpatient surgery through community partners identified by the class. e working poor are working people whose incomes fall below a given poverty line. e Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Macon Class of 2013 partnered with the Macon Volunteer Clinic and e Medical Center of Central Georgia. "On December 1st, we conducted the first surgery day for our program," said Dr. Benjie Christie, Leadership Macon Class of 2013 member and surgeon for e Medical Center of Central Georgia. "We did four cases. e day started at 6am and finished around 11:30am. e volunteer turnout was great, the patient/process flow was efficient, and systematically things ran as smooth as silk." e SPIN program is the first volunteer surgery program in the state of Georgia. e goal of this program is to deliver high quality surgical services to ensure a superior patient experience and clinical outcome. All medical care will be provided by licensed professional staff. Staffing will be maintained at a level of competency to meet standard of care and the patient's needs. Age-specific pharmaceuticals and equipment will be available. Support services for individual patient requirements will be provided through community services and resources. All patients will be treated with the utmost respect and care and all patients will be assessed and care provided according to the approved policy and procedure of the facility. Class of 2012 Update e Class Project for the Class of 2012 was the implementation of six "donation stations" in downtown Macon, called e Power of Change. e class members coordinated all fundraising and marketing efforts of the project and also worked through the logistics of getting the stations approved through City Council. e money collected from these parking meter style donation stations goes directly to the six organizations providing assistance to the homeless in Macon. In the first year, over $6,000 was collected from these stations and given to Macon's less fortunate citizens. Congratulations to everyone involved in that ongoing community effort. Class of 2013 Nicole Abdou Catherine Aplin Matthews Barnett Kevin Barrere Shana Burton Benjie Christie Matthew Cloutier Ashley Deadwyler Frank Dixon Laronda Eason Bob Easter Tanya Edge John Eubanks Latanya Foster James Freeman Jennifer Haskins Susan Headley Christopher Howard Tim Hughes omas Huyck Christopher Jackson Amber Jones Stephanie Jones Mark Lees Freddie Pooler Audrey Purcell Tim Regan-Porter Bill Reynolds Quinn Rolfes Terry Schwindler Shamani-Jeffrey Shikwambi Spencer Strickland Charles Timmons Kathy Tolbert Justin Towers Stuart Walker Lisa Wicker Matt Widner Chris Howard, Susan Headley, Justin Towers, Kathy Tolbert, James Freeman 042914 Annual Report.indd 13 5/14/14 1:51 PM