The women’s OrthoGeorgia Team.

EATONTON, Ga. — On Sunday, Oct. 4, Cuscowilla hosted a golf tournament to help raise money to support Harmony Medical Foundation, a Georgia 501(c)(3). Not only was it a spectacular day with beautiful weather, the members and their guests raised over $18,000 for Harmony Medical Foundation. The tournament was created and managed by Robyn Morgan and Starling Thornsberry, Cuscowilla members who both serve on the Harmony Medical Foundation Advisory Committee. Their hard work and commitment to Harmony Medical Foundation made it a great success. 

Harmony Medical Foundation’s mission is as follows:

Harmony Medical Foundation dedicates its resources to improve the accessibility of preventative and quality healthcare to local residents and the neighboring communities we serve.

•Accessible – Patients have access to the healthcare they need without traveling 

outside of the local area.

 

•Preventative – Lifestyle medicine programs that will increase the patient’s 

knowledge, skills, and confidence to adapt and maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

A specific focus will be given to the aging population and most underserved.

 

•Quality – Improve the number of local independent healthcare providers focused 

on patient care, patient services, and patient satisfaction. By engaging and 

involving the patient, our medical professionals can partner together to take 

ownership in preventive care as well as the treatment of diagnosed conditions.

 

•Outreach – Supporting the medical needs of our underserved, neighboring 

counties.  

The Common Healthfund ranked Georgia 42nd in state healthcare based on the fact that we have limited access to healthcare. Harmony Medical Foundation is dedicated to improving the healthcare of our community through medical partnerships, physician procurement, outreach and educational programs. Harmony Medical Foundation has partnered with Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) to support these initiatives. MUSM has a proven track record in developing sustainable independent models for healthcare in rural areas of Georgia.  

To give to support this important cause, there is no better time to give than now.

Thanks to the CARES Act, there are many charitable benefits to giving to Harmony Medical Foundation. Individuals and corporations that itemize their giving can deduct much greater amounts of their contributions for the remainder of 2020. In fact, individuals can elect to deduct donations up to 100 percent of their 2020 adjusted gross income, up from 60 percent in the past. Corporations also saw an increase in allowable deductions, from 10 percent to 25 percent of their taxable income in 2020. Individuals who normally take the standard deduction on their taxes can also deduct up to $300 in gifts for 2020. Additional allowances are made for a percentage of charitable gifts to income during this year. The first-year goal is to raise $250,000 and we hope you’ll help us get there.

Some of the Foundation’s first year initiatives are:

1. To bring additional primary care providers to our community and the 25-mile radius around it. Currently the ratio is 1 doctor for every 3,100 residents; the state average is 1 for every 1,500 residents.  We are accomplishing this by partnering with Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) who has a proven track record in developing sustainable independent clinics in rural Georgia. MUSM has identified Putnam County and its surrounding 25-mile area as severely under-served from a primary care standpoint and will open and operate a clinic in late 2020. MUSM will be funding $750,000 of the operating costs while asking us to fund $150,000. 
2. To conduct an annual health fair to allow our community access to current and comprehensive healthcare information so that we are proactive in dealing with diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.  
3. We are placing an 8-page insert into Health and Fitness magazine, a quarterly publication currently in our community and distributed to over 45,000 readers. This will feature important articles on Lifestyle Medicine such as: how to make sure we age, in good health and understanding any & all indications of a potential medical issue. This publication will also be distributed as a stand-alone issue to the 25-mile Radius around our community and benefit many who are even more underserved. The first issue is out now.
4. Implemented a social media presence to communicate the mission of our Foundation and provide a platform for community engagement and promotion.

These four initiatives and more will make up the first year of Harmony Medical Foundation’s life. The estimated cost to our community is $250,000 of the $1,000,000 first year plan and we need your help. There is nothing more important than a healthy community built by a foundation like ours.  This will benefit generations to come.  

For more information, the foundation’s website is www.harmonymedicalcenterlakeoconee.com/hmf or follow us on Facebook.