Calendar of Events

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Attorney Francys Johnson www.francysjohnson.com | 912.225.1600 | 51 East Main Street Doing Justice, Loving Mercy, Walking Humbly. — Micah 6:8

Mark Anderson OTC’s 2020 Distinguished Alumni

Mark Anderson, co-owner of Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory in Statesboro, was recently named Ogeechee Technical College’s 2020 Distinguished Alumni winner. Each year the Distinguished Alumni award is presented to an Ogeechee Tech alumni who graduated at least ten years prior, is making outstanding contributions and excelling in their chosen fields, who is giving back to their community, and is dedicated to the advancement of the College. Anderson was among the first cohort of students to earn their Funeral Service Education degree from Ogeechee Tech in 2002. Just two years prior, as an apprentice funeral director, Anderson became co-owner of Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home. Anderson is also the co-owner of Joiner-Anderson Screven Chapel, JoinerAnderson-Saxon-Prescott in Waynesboro and Bulloch Memorial Gardens, a perpetual care cemetery in Statesboro.

In addition to his outstanding professional accolades, Anderson has been incredibly involved in the local community. Anderson once served as Chairman of the Board of the Statesboro-Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce, was honored in 2019 with the Georgia Funeral Directors Association Award, and has served as President and Past President of the Independent Funeral Directors of Georgia. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Ogeechee Technical College, the Board of Directors of Morris Bank, and was recently appointed by Governor Brian Kemp to serve on the Georgia State Board of Cemeterians.

A native of Bulloch County, Mark has two daughters, Morgan and Allison.

Betty Foy Sanders Donates Bus to Georgia Southern Art Students

Betty Foy Sanders, Bulloch County native, former first lady of Georgia and supporter of the arts at Georgia Southern University, donated a bus last fall to the Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art (BFSDoArt) to help students access art through travel.

For more than 50 years, Sanders has worked behind the scenes to support students in the BFSDoArt providing scholarships, equipment and other financial support.

In recent years, art and design students have traveled to Art Basel in Miami, the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia, and Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, among other places. The department had plans to use the bus soon, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellations.

“After Mrs. Sanders’s generous donation in the fall, some faculty had planned to take groups to several museums and shows in the spring,” Garland said. “Artists understand patience and when the time comes to travel again, thanks to Casey Stoddard and Daniel Castro, the students and faculty in the Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art will be doing it in true Betty style,” said Garland.

The vehicle wrap design, which features elements inspired by Sanders’ own artwork and the department logo, was a collaborative effort by Stoddard, creative design director for BFSDoArt, and Castro, a graphic design student.

“Our goal was to design something that represented the department while acknowledging Mrs. Sanders and her numerous contributions to the University and the department over the years,” Stoddard said. “We were really inspired by the crisp, colorful intensity of Mrs. Sanders’ most recent artwork, her doodles, and we knew we wanted to incorporate something like them into our design. Daniel did a really amazing job pulling everything together and delivered something exceptional.”

For more information about the department, visit https://cah.georgiasouthern.edu/art/

Cedar Surgical Associates Welcomes Dr. John Allen

Cedar Surgical Associates of Statesboro recently welcomed John Allen, MD, board certified in both bariatric surgery and general surgery to the practice. A proud alumni of Georgia Southern University, Dr. Allen earned his medical degree from Mercer University School of Medicine in Savannah. He completed residency in General Surgery at Memorial Health University Medical center in Savannah. He also completed a fellowship in Advanced GI/MIS/Bariatric Surgery at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine – Greenville, in Greenville, S.C.

Dr. Allen specializes in general surgery, bariatric surgery, abdominal wall reconstruction, and surgical treatment for heartburn and reflux disease. He is currently accepting new patients at Cedar Surgical Associates, an affiliate of East Georgia Medical & Surgical Associates, at 1497 Fair Road, Suite 200. visit www.EastGeorgiaMedSurgAssociates.com

Statesboro Attorney Receives Two Appointments to State Level Positions

The State Bar of Georgia held its Annual Meeting virtually on June 13, 2020, and approved local attorney Francys Johnson to serve as a member of the Judicial Qualifications Commission Nominating Committee for the governing body of the legal profession in Georgia. The Judicial Nominating Commission reviews applications and recommends candidates to fill judicial vacancies within the state, superior and appellate courts in Georgia.

This summer Johnson was also appointed to serve as a Member at Large on the Board of Governors for the State Bar of Georgia. The State Bar of Georgia operates under the authorization of the Supreme Court of Georgia. Membership is a condition of admission to practice law in the state. The Board of Governors is comprised of the Attorney General of Georgia, officer members and elected and appointed Board of Governors members.

“I will use my time striving to balance the scales of justice for all people,” said Johnson reacting to the appointments. Johnson practices criminal and civil law in the state and federal courts in Georgia from his office on East Main Street in downtown Statesboro. A graduate of Georgia Southern University and The University of Georgia School of Law, Johnson is Chairman of the New Georgia Project, a transformational civic engagement organization, founded by Stacey Abrams, responsible for defeating voter suppression and advancing progressive values in public policy.

Previously, Johnson was President of the Georgia NAACP, this state’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. He is a recognized thought-leader on voting rights, testifying before the U.S. Congress; lecturing across the country and writing on other subjects including race, measuring equity, and understanding of power in public policy. Johnson is a bi-vocational civil rights lawyer, also serving as pastor of Magnolia Missionary Baptist Church of Statesboro. www.francysjohnson.com

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The Most Advanced Dental Implant Technology is Now Available

East Georgia Center for Oral & Facial Surgery is the first practice in the region to introduce the X-Guide Dynamic 3D Navigation Implant System for performing oral implant surgeries. The new X-Guide equipment provides implant surgeons with greater accuracy during procedures. With X-Guide navigated surgery, the doctor utilizes live 3D views of anatomy allowing more control and precision in the placement of implants. This is similar to the way medical neurosurgery has been done for many years. X-Guide’s advanced technology allows the surgeon to make the most precise adjustments considering surrounding structures with greater accuracy for a better outcome with less pain.

The doctors at East Georgia Center for Oral & Facial Surgery, Suketu J. Patel, DMD, MD, Rodrigo L. Uribe, DMD and Mark C. Clayton, DDS, MPH, are board-certified surgical specialists with expertise in dental implant surgery who are always striving to provide cutting-edge technology for patients. The practice is located at 1222 Brampton Avenue, in Statesboro. eastgeorgiaoralsurgery.com „

Georgia Southern Student Helps Change National Narrative about Inclusion in Science

As a Black wildlife conservationist and field biologist devoted to the study of birds, Corina Newsome, a graduate student at Georgia Southern University, has long been confronted with the lack of diversity in the natural sciences. However, earlier this year, social media became a powerful interface for Newsome and a group of fellow Black scientists around the country, who discovered one another online and quickly formed a camaraderie.

Soon after, a video of a racially motivated confrontation in Central Park recorded by science editor and avid birder Christian Cooper went viral, and the network of 30 scientists banded to launch Black Birders Week on May 31, 2020. The group of virtual events, coordinated with hashtags like #BlackInNature, #AskABlackBirder and #BirdingWhileBlack, celebrated Black birders and naturalists from around the globe while pushing for inclusion and safe spaces in the outdoors. The response was monumental as a multitude of Black scientists and naturalists shared their favorite birds, nature shots and professional settings online.

Newsome quickly became one of the recognizable faces of Black Birders Week and was featured in The New Yorker, Washington Post, National Geographic and NPR, among other media outlets. She also participated in a virtual roundtable discussion hosted by the National Audubon Society and included Cooper and fellow Georgia Southern student Alex Troutman. “The most overwhelming, positive responses have been from young, Black people in college or pre-college who are interested in the sciences, messaging me or emailing me and saying, ‘It’s meant so much to see you doing your work,’” she said.

Newsome noted that multiple wildlife and government agencies have also reached out, demonstrating that they are in the process of making structural changes within their organizations to expand diversity efforts. https://news.georgiasouthern.edu/

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Skye Anderson Receives DAISY Award at East Georgia Regional Medical Center

Skye Anderson, RN, a nurse in CCU (Cardiac Care Unit) at East Georgia Regional Medical Center, was recently awarded the hospital’s DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Skye began her nursing career at EGRMC in July of 2019. Skye had more than one nomination from former patients of the CCU.

“Skye truly makes a difference in the lives of her patients,” said Marie Burdett, MSN, RN, and Chief Nursing Officer at East Georgia Regional Hospital. “She is the type of nurse that exudes genuine kindness and compassion when caring for her patients. Skye keeps her patients and their family at the center of care, all while demonstrating excellent clinical and critical thinking skills.”

Nurses may be nominated for the DAISY Award by patients, family members, and colleagues. The award recipient is chosen by a committee at EGRMC, upon review of all nominations. Each Honoree receives a certificate commending her or him as an “Extraordinary Nurse.” The certificate reads: “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.” Honorees also receive a DAISY Award pin, bouquet of daisies, a banner to hang in their respective department, fresh baked cinnamon rolls for their team, and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called ‘A Healer’s Touch’, handcarved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

“The DAISY Award serves as another important way for us to ensure that our nurses receive recognition and praise for the remarkable work they do every day,” said Stephen Pennington, Chief Executive Officer of East Georgia Regional Medical Center. “We are pleased to honor Skye with this award, and we thank her for the safe, compassionate care she gives to all of her patients at EGRMC.”

To learn more about the DAISY Award, or to nominate a nurse for this this prestigious award, visit www.eastgeorgiaregional. com/daisy-award-nominations S