MULHERIN FOUNDATION NEWS

William B. Mulherin Foundation for Health & Wellness August 2013

Summer Wrap-Up
Somewhere between family vacations and summer outings, August arrived and children are already back in school. Athens is full of life as students return to the University of Georgia and fill the streets that were somewhat vacant over the summer months. Whether your summer was filled with relaxation or jam -packed with activities, we hope you enjoyed the beautiful summer days, despite our unusual number of rainy days. As they say, Time flies when youre having fun. We couldnt agree with that statement more as summer comes to an end and we have completed our first annual event, the Fred Birchmore Glow & Go Aquathlon. Although we were kept busy planning the event, we also had fun celebrating the incredible life of Fred Birchmore and raising funds to help put in a new Teaching Kitchen at Mercy Health Center. This issue of the Mulherin Foundation News will include all of the exciting details from the Glow & Go and how you can see the funds put to use.

At a Glance
The First Annual Fred
Birchmore Glow & Go Aquathlon brought in nearly $10,000 (pg. 2)

What the Glow & Go means

for the new Teaching Kitchen at Mercy Health Center (pg. 3)

Getting involved and

supporting the Foundation (pg. 4)

More photos from the Fred

Birchmore Glow & Go Aquathlon (pg. 4)

OUR GOAL: To foster a community where comprehensive orthopedic resources are accessible by all.

First Annual Event a Glowing Success

Our First Annual Fred Birchmore Glow & Go Aquathlon was held on July 27th at Bishop Park. We would like to extend our gratitude to everyone involved in making the Glow & Go the success that it was. Whether you participated in the swim and run or volunteered your time, the event ran smoothly because of your involvement. The kids in the Junior Division really brought their A-game as they completed the 200-yard swim and 2k run. It was great to see each one of the kids getting outside and showing their athleticism. We are extremely proud of all the kids who participated would like to congratulate our Overall Junior Division winners, Aidan Landrum and McKenzie Klinck. The Adult Division was equally inspiring as volunteers and spectators watched on as Joel Landrum and David Duncan battled it out at the finish line to take the Overall Male award. Joel just outran David to earn to spot along with Overall Female finisher, Niki Spear. Every participant received a miniature glow-in-the-dark, medalwearing, rubber duck. The ducks were a huge hit with the kids! Division winners were awarded bright green Fred Birchmore Glow & Go Aquathlon beach towels or Fleet Feet beverage glasses. After giving it their all in the race, participants enjoyed the post-race festivities with family and friends. Kids had a great time on the inflatable double-slide and many got their face painted. Dawg Town DJ played today's hits while lots of kids, adorned with glow-accessories, danced their hearts out. Athens Community Council on Aging, Fleet Feet Sports, Athens Orthopedic Clinic, and AOCs Sports Performance & Rehabilitation Center were also present at the post-race celebration. Dickey's Barbecue Pit provided their delicious pork, chicken, sides, and drinks, at no cost, for everyone to enjoy. Our Birchmore Buddies were recognized and the Birchmore family (Freds wife, Willa Deane; Daughter, Linda; and son, Danny) was presented with a sketch of Fred Birchmore, drawn by Matthew Ashburn, on behalf of the Mulherin Foundation. As the evening continued, we gave out awards and raffled off many gift cards and coupons from local businesses. Paying tribute to The Great Wall of Happy Hollow, built by Mr. Birchmore's own hands, we had a small graffiti wall of our own where kids signed their names, drew pictures, and wrote encouraging notes. With all of the racing and activities during the evening, perhaps the best part of all was simply socializing with friends and paying tribute to the wonderful Fred Birchmoreall while knowing that the money was raised for a cause that will truly have a lasting influence on our community through a Teaching Kitchen at Mercy Health Center (page 3). Thank you to our sponsors, in-kind contributors, volunteers, participants, and Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services for helping us create a safe and fun environment for everyone to enjoy. Complete race results and event photos can be found on our event website at www.GlowGoAthens.com. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again next year for our second annual event!
William B. Mulherin Foundation for Health & Wellness August 2013

Mercy Health Center Teaching Kitchen

The event proceeds from the Fred Birchmore Glow & Go Aquathlon will benefit our Resource Assistance Program, more specifically toward helping fund a Teaching Kitchen at Mercy Health Center. The Mulherin Foundation has chosen to support the Teaching Kitchen initiative because the proposed plan addresses a pressing issue in our community: fighting obesity. While obesity itself does not kill, it often contributes to and augments most every disease that leads to mortality, not to mention all the other devastating effects on one's health. To make matters worse, the obesity crisis hits the impoverished especially hard. Mercy has found that poverty plays a significant role in nutrition habits when healthy foods seem out-of-reach or too difficult to prepare. For some members of the community, they have found that grocery shopping is often more cost-effective when they buy carbohydrate-rich foods instead of healthier options. In 2012, Grace Johnson conducted a survey for Mercy Health Center and the findings were disconcerting. The survey revealed that more than half of their patients were either obese or morbidly obese and around 30% were overweight. These numbers demand that the Athens community take action to fight this pressing health crisis. The Mercy Health Center Teaching Kitchen plans to teach quick, affordable, and healthy meal preparation to members of the community who are eager to improve their health and combat obesity. Mercy Health Center will be holding quarterly community classes and monthly meetings where a nutrition educator from the community will demonstrate how to prepare easy, cost-effective, and nutritious meals, as well as help participants "learn by eating". Their goal is to provide a community teaching kitchen where nutrition education can be taught in a participative environment. With this goal, they hope to improve patients' confidence in themselves and their abilities to prepare healthy meals and appropriate portions. The Mulherin Foundation is confident in the Mercy Health Center Teaching Kitchen and the positive impact it will surely have on our community. If you would like to help support this cause, please email us to find out how at mulherinfoundation@gmail.com. The Mulherin Foundation Board of Directors will be voting on fund distribution for the Teaching Kitchen at the August board meeting.

William B. Mulherin Foundation for Health & Wellness

August 2013

Contact Us Mulherin Foundation P.O. Box 5247 Athens, GA 30604 706.433.3290

mulherinfoundation@gmail.com

Visit us on the web at

www.MulherinFoundation.org

Get Involved with the Mulherin Foundation

Make a monetary contribution to support our ongoing efforts to meet the health and orthopedic needs in our community. Find out if your employer matches employee charitable contributions to double the impact of your gift. Designate the Mulherin Foundation as a beneficiary for your next corporate or group fundraising event. Donate your gently-used mobility or stabilizing device to the Foundation to be repurposed for another patient in need. Spread the word about the Foundation!

William B. Mulherin Foundation for Health & Wellness

August 2013