Southeast Georgia Community

Coming back from an amazing time at the Camp Kudzu Staff and Board retreat, I heard the word
the community used over and over again.

Webster’s Dictionary defines community as “a unified body of individuals: such as a: the people
with common interests living in a particular area broadly: the area itself b: a group of people with a
common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society”.

As I traveled back to Savannah on my 4.5-hour drive, I was mulling over how I can better reach the
Southeast Georgia community, the Kudzu community, the body of individuals living with a common
characteristic or interest, the T1D community.

As a new team member in the Savannah area, I have been on the phone and online researching leads
on how to connect and learn about this community and identify what exactly the needs are. I have
met with Kristen King MS, CCLS the Manager of Child Life at the Dwayne & Cynthia Willet Children’s
Hospital who just committed to helping lead a portion of our culinary program called Food for
Thought with a cool mobile kitchen called the Charlie Cart. I have sat with Stephanie Austin the new
Diabetes Educator at Memorial Health Endo Clinic and saw her face beam ear to ear when learning
about our new initiative in the area. I have broken bread with Everyday Diabetes, a new diabetes
clinic in Savannah who serves the whole life of a T1D patient and have agreed to come to our
Waycross Family Camp to participate in the parent education sessions. And Lisa Wilson NCSN BSN
RN District Lead Nurse for Chatham County Public School System who met with me to share her
interest in having Camp Kudzu talk to her 51 school nurses about diabetes and share about camp. All
these professionals are extremely excited to hear about our strategic focus to the southeastern
portion of Georgia and are all sitting on the edges of their chair to help us meet our goal.

But it was the call I got today from a volunteer of the Georgia Lions Camp who knew we were coming
for the Waycross Family Camp March 30-31 who said her hairdresser (who she doesn’t even have her
address) has a daughter who was just diagnosed with Type 1, and she would like me to mail her
information so she can personally deliver it. She said her friend “needs this” opportunity.
This story made my heart melt and is the reason why I agreed to help Camp Kudzu grow a supportive
a community where life with T1D is without limitations – everywhere Kudzu grows.

I want to meet you and your family, I want to talk to your hairdresser or your neighbor who might
also “need this” in their lives. I have great ideas for the Savannah area including a culinary program
called Food for Thought, a surfing program called Hang 10! And wait for is…Savannah Bananas
Tickets to the July 13th home game vs. the Macon Bacon, but I really want to hear how else I can
support this community; the body of individuals living with a common characteristic or interest, the
T1D community.

If you know an organization, contact or family living in the Southeast who “needs this” or wants to
get involved, please contact me so we can continue our mission to educate, empower and inspire
children/teens living with type 1 diabetes. I look forward to meeting you all y’all very soon!

Cyndi Satlow csatlow@campkudzu.org; (912) 244-4101.

Don’t forget the Waycross Family Camp registration is now open!
Register here: https://www.campkudzu.org/programs/family-camp/

Check out our additional upcoming South Georgia Programming here:
https://www.campkudzu.org/south-georgia-programs/