The Bone Island Grill at Crooked Creek Marina on Lake Sinclair is quickly becoming an institution. This Independence Day, the restaurant will celebrate with the community, while lending a hand to help children diagnosed with diabetes exercise their own independence.

Nancy Mozzone is the sister to marina owners John and Mike Jansen. She is planning a festival that will hopefully draw in the surrounding area as one of the only July 4 lake events that will include a large fireworks show. Proceeds from the Lake Country Freedom Festival will go towards Camp Kudzu and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

“This is about freedom from daily worry and diabetes,” Mozzone said. “There is not a minute of the day when you can forget that you have Juvenile Diabetes, also known as Type 1.”

Mozzone said Camp Kudzu and JDRF benefit diabetes through education and research. Those with Type 1 diabetes cannot produce insulin at all and live hour by hour.  They have to calculate the carbs they eat and inject enough insulin to cover them, while taking into account their activity level.  They have to make sure their blood sugar levels don’t drop to a life threatening low.  It’s always a balancing act.

The camp allows kids diagnosed with diabetes to attend a summer camp geared towards their health needs while at the same time, giving them the opportunity to experience summer camp activities. JDRF helps to raise money to fund research for a possible cure for Type I Diabetes and fund new technologies to improve the lives of those living with the disease. Mozzone is encouraged by their work as she has a personal stake in their efforts — her son.

Her son, an avid soccer player, has to check his blood sugar continuously, sometimes up to 14 or more times per day.

“This is extremely difficult on teenagers and I am blessed with a teen who handles this so well,” she said. “He is very disciplined about checking his blood sugar.”

Mozzone said her son’s diagnosis a few years ago changed their lives and while her hope is for a cure, for now, the work of Camp Kudzu and JDRF has helped a sense of normalcy return to the family life.

“When Ryan attended Camp Kudzu it was the first time since the diagnosis, I was able to not have my son within eyesight and be comfortable about it,” she said. “He recently went on the pump, technology funded by JDRF, and he loves the freedom it allows him.”

The festival was first proposed to Mozzone by her brothers as an opportunity to raise funds for the organizations. John and Mike Jansen are building the business at Crooked Creek Marina, and recognized the importance of including the community in that effort. Taking that into account, the idea for the festival was born.

The Lake Country Freedom Festival will be held Sunday, July 4 beginning at 1 p.m. at the marina located on Crooked Creek Marina Drive off of Scuffleboro Road in Putnam County.

Mozzone said that if last year was any indication, the big water in front of the marina will fill with boats as dusk approaches. The professional fireworks show will cap off the night as a few thousand people, along the shoreline and in boats, will watch as the sky fills with fireworks.

Nancy is thankful to her brothers for the opportunity to help so many children who live with diabetes.

“My brother Mike is an amazing man,” she said. “He loves God and does everything he can to help others. He is a true inspiration to me. My brother John — I’ve never seen anybody work so hard and give so much of himself. He is amazing. Both of my brothers are truly inspirational.”

Proceeds from the festival help fund Camp Kudzu and JDRF. Mozzone works in other efforts throughout the year to raise money for what she calls some truly amazing research into Type I diabetes.

“We’re funding not just a cure, but some remarkable research, including the artificial pancreas project,” she said. www.MozZONEoutDIABETES.com

It’s not too late to get involved as a vendor or volunteer either, Mozzone said.

“Volunteers are needed, as are donations,” she said. “Volunteer forms are available on the Festival’s website. We are very grateful for our amazing sponsors of this event.”

For more information about Camp Kudzu or JDRF, please visit www.CampKudzu.org and www.JDRF.org . For more information about the July 4 event at Crooked Creek Marina, please visit www.LakeCountryFreedomFestival.com or e-mail Mozzone at nancy@LakeCountryFreedomFestival.com.