Annual AU Day of Service

Although social distancing requirements changed the landscape of community service in 2020 with the cancellation of many in-person events, AU nurses continued to find ways to serve. Many nursing staff members joined colleagues, faculty and students to support the annual AU Day of Service traditionally held the first Saturday of November.

Virtual Days of Service

For 2020, the Augusta University Office of Volunteer Services & Community Engagement got creative and transitioned to Virtual Days of Service. Our nursing teams still found ways to make a difference with many of our team members leading and participating in virtual service projects, including:

• Collecting and reading books (virtually) for local school children
• Collecting donations for patients and families at AUMC
• Collecting donations for community groups
• Cooking meals for family members staying at the Ronald McDonald House

Renee McCabe, RN, BSN, and Injury Prevention and Safe Kids Greater Augusta Coordinator, says she could not make a difference in the community without the talents and dedication of the nurses that volunteer with the Safe Kids Program.

“AU Nurses are integral to Safe Kids mission of fighting the #1 killer of kids --preventable injuries”.

Safe Kids Car Seat and Safe Sleep Programs

AU nurses serve as volunteer instructors for these monthly, grant-supported, 2-hour classes, that offer outreach to at-risk, low-income, families. This impressive team of nurses includes:

• Angie Gifford
• Sherri Trammell
• Whitney Greene
• Katie Bragg
• Cathryn Hardman
• Carla Allen
• Veena Patel
• Emily Johnson
• Amanda Pretzello
• Renee McCabe

Safe Sitter Babysitting Program

AU nurses serve as volunteers and have been specially trained to teach the nonprofit Safe Sitter babysitting program that targets 6-8^th grade. This 7-hour program held seven times annually, is medically based and includes emergency triage, first aid, choking rescue and CPR. The Safe Sitter instructors are:

• Patty Parker
• Kyndra Holm
• Amanda Wright
• Cathryn Hardman
• Renee McCabe

Safe at Home

Safe Sitter’s Safe at Home is a 90 minute program for students in 4-6^th grade. This program provides important safety training that will help students be prepared to stay home alone. The course includes safety skills, handling emergencies, preventing injuries and injury management. Safe at Home Instructors are:

• Emily Leisey
• Emily Johnson
• Renee McCabe

Car Seat Inspections and Distributions

Monthly 3-hour sessions are held for car seat inspection and distribution. Families who have attended the car seat class receive their car seat along with guidance for installing in their car. The skilled team of volunteer nurses, known as Child Passenger Safety Technicians, include:

• Angie Gifford
• Sherri Trammell
• Deborah Norton
• Kyndra Holm
• Renee McCabe

Safe Kids Day & Bike Rodeo

The all-day event, held annually in May, offers injury prevention education, a bike safety course, and free bikes and helmets to families in need. It is a collaborative partnership with Augusta Urban Ministries and CSRA Regional Commission. An impressive team of over 30 dedicated AU nurses volunteer each year.

There were scheduling challenges in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with less than 24 hours’ notice, a smaller group of nurses rallied together to support a Back to School Bike Event on August 1, 2020 where 59 bikes and helmets were distributed to low income families who completed an on-line bike safety training prior to the event.