Page 10 - Mecklenburg_Medicine_June-2016
P. 10
MMAE
Laura Stallings Funderburg:
2015 James Gray Cannon Award Winner
MBy Gail Van Der Veer, Cannon Award Chair 1929, founded the Southern Financial Campaign Bureau, a private
MAE is honored to present its 2016 Cannon organization that helped southern communities plan methods to raise
Award to Laura Stallings Funderburg. She was funds for charities.
nominated by Rachel Zink, executive director of
Arts For Life, a nonprofit organization dedicated Her grandfather, Walter Scott Stallings, who owned Stallings &
to supporting pediatric patients and family members through visual Co. drug store in Dilworth from 1929 to 1950, provided medicine
art, music and creative writing education. Her dedication, compassion to families in the neighborhood, whether they could afford to pay
and dependability as a volunteer led to her nomination and selection. or not. He also donated first-aid supplies to schools and sent care
packages from his store to local boys serving in World War II.
In nominating Funderburg, Zink wrote, “Laura brings top-notch
arts education to pediatric patients in her work with Arts For Life, Her father, who contracted polio in Charlotte at the age of 15,
was taught radio broadcasting during his recovery, which enabled
and we rely on her for the standard of excellence him to record books for the blind and for injured servicemen who
she brings to every volunteer shift. She helps to were unable to sit up to read. In his later years, suffering from
train new volunteers and interns, and brings her post-polio syndrome, he still served others, helping to establish
own expertise and experience to her work with Independent Living Services for the Disabled at St. Joseph Hospital
kids at the hospital.” in Memphis, TN.
Funderburg was invaluable in helping Arts Funderburg’s philosophy and commitment is reflected in her
For Life launch its program at Levine Children’s own words, “Arts For Life’s mission is a personal one for me, as
Cancer Center. She currently serves in an executive role on the Board it perfectly mirrors my lifelong desire to nurture the minds and
of Arts For Life as secretary, as well as being involved in strategic spirits of children facing serious illnesses and disabilities, and to
planning and fundraising. encourage positive healthcare experiences for those children and
Funderburg’s resume includes many years of volunteer service. their families. The time I give seems very insignificant compared to
Wherever she has lived, she has volunteered — even serving for 40 the long and painful journeys that many of these children face, but
hours a week at a Children’s Center in London, Ontario. Her desire the lesson I have learned is that a moment of creative joy can make
to serve comes from a family legacy of volunteerism. Funderburg’s the darkest days very bright indeed!”
great-grandfather, W. S. Stallings, while living in Myers Park in
MMAE Grants and Disbursements 2016
MMAE is proud to announce $69,000 in grants awarded to 11 organizations that support the mission of MMAE by building a healthier
Mecklenburg County. These grants provide the following services and funding:
• Assistance League of Charlotte — Supports • Hospitality House of Charlotte — horses for the Hippotherapy Program for
Operation School Bell, which provides new Renovation of kitchen facilities that serve the children with disabilities. $7,500
clothing and hygiene kits to disadvantaged 80 guests staying in the house each night and • Teen Health Connection — Transportation
children in CMS schools. $5,000 the hundreds of volunteers who help prepare for CMS high school students to attend “The
• Camp CARE, Inc. — Summer camp for meals for the guests. This includes new Big Picture,” an engaging and dynamic
five children fighting cancer. $3,000 counter tops and sinks that are durable and theatrical production written and performed by
• Care Ring — Funds Healthcare for easily sanitized. $7,000 adolescents, for adolescents, that addresses the
Diverse Populations, a holistic chronic • NC MedAssist — Supplements the purchase most critical and relevant challenges faced by
disease program to address the high of a pharmacy robot for the Free Pharmacy our community’s youth. $6,000
demand for cardiovascular preventive Program. Pharmacy staff will be able to • The Epiphany School — Provides
care and the management of hypertension increase capacity by 300 percent and eliminate therapeutic tools in classrooms to create more
and metabolic disease in our Hispanic, human error by counting medication and positive learning for students who struggle
Latino and African-American labeling prescription bottles. $13,500 with sensory processing issues. $1,000
communities. $5,000 • Safe Alliance — Funds the Domestic • The Relatives — Funds Neighbor Care, a
• Hospice and Palliative Care Charlotte Violence Shelter Clinic, which provides free safe option for minor children while parents
Region — Funds Positive Approach to health care services for children and adults. are hospitalized, preventing the need for
Care, a training program providing deeper $5,000 foster care. In the first three years of this
understanding of dementia and dementia • Shining Hope Farms — Purchases a lift program, more than 425 children have been
related behaviors. $6,000 system to help patients safely on and off kept out of foster care. $10,000
10 | June 2016 • Mecklenburg Medicine