A Message From Teena Garland:
LOA family,
1 in 100 babies are born with Congenital Heart Defects (CHD). CHD affects not only our community, but our LOA family as well. I have shared my story of my grandson, Ford, with you before, but there are others here with CHD. Lacie Groeninger's son, Smith, a 3rd grader here at LOA also has CHD. Smith had open heart surgery when he was just 4 days old. I am writing again today on Ford and Smith's behalf, along with the others in our community touched by CHD that I do not know......yet!
Smith Groeninger
Governor Kemp proclaimed February 7 - 14th as this year's Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) Awareness Week. As part of CHD Awareness Week, the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) hosts its annual fundraising event called the "Heart Swap." This year, the Heart Swap is held from January 17th to February 16th. The proceeds benefit the Children's Heart Center, providing critical funds to the pediatric cardiac programs of CHOA. This fundraiser has an online link where you go and pick your "neighborhood." You can purchase a heart yard sign, a virtual heart, donate, etc. through this link. I actually put one of my heart yard signs on our campus as you come in. Hopefully, you have seen the pinkish purple heart! My daughter's mother-in-law, Dana Gilleland, is the Heart Swap representative for Eatonton and Snellville. So, we have been feverishly delivering signs throughout our Eatonton and Snellville communities.
LOA supports CHOA yearly with its LOA Miracle, which is student led. LOA Miracle hosts a 5K/Fun Run event, babysitting services, carline canning, and other various events throughout the year. I thank you for your support of each of these. I now ask that you help your CHD Lake Oconee representative, Lacie Groeninger, in our area Heart Swap to help merge our efforts with LOA Miracle. What a beautiful sight it will be to fill our Lake Area with hearts in order to support the ones who struggle so much!
There are several ways to contribute to the Heart Swap:
You can follow the link below. Once on the site, choose "Buy Now." Then, choose your neighborhood of "Lake Oconee-Reynolds." Lastly, choose your yard sign or whatever option you prefer. Lacie will get your sign if that is what you choose. You can pick it up from her, or she can bring it to me for you to pick up here at LOA. Just email or text me your name and what you prefer so that we will know your preference.
OR
You can contact me here at LOA. Lacie brought over some heart yard signs. I have them here in my classroom. You can purchase them from me directly.
Prices are:
Valentine's Heart Yard Sign = $30
Valentine's Heart Yard Sign, 4 pack = $100
Heart Swap Virtual Donation = $10 - $5,000
Neighborhood Sponsorship = $500
Valentine's Heart - Virtual = $5
Every single donation does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.
Blaine Gilleland with Ford
Please find it in your whole heart to help the ones in our community that were born without a whole heart. I have attached pictures of Smith and Ford so that you can see truly what lifesavers the caregivers at CHOA have done. It's with donations like these that our children can continue to seek medical attention throughout their lives. They will never outgrow CHD.
If you have any questions, concerns, etc., please reach out to me. My cell number is 706.473.2386.
Thank you for your time and continued support of our children and community.
Teena Garland