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CGMRC VOLUNTEER NAMED 1st RUNNER UP FOR THE 2010 GEORGIA CITIZEN CORPS VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

Central Georgia Medical Reserve Corps (CGMRC) member Marilyn Halaska, RN, MSN, Ed.D, was recognized as the 1st Runner Up for the 2010 Georgia Citizen Corps Volunteer of the Year Award. This award is given annually by the Citizen Corps to recognize outstanding local volunteers who are dedicated to making their communities more prepared.

Halaska was an intrical part of the creation of the CGMRC in 2007 and has remained an active member. In addition to serving on the Executive Committee and local Special Needs Taskforce, Halaska is also credited for the development of a presentation called “Are you Disaster Ready? Emergency Preparedness for Special Needs Populations”. This presentation is designed to teach individuals with special medical needs the importance of emergency preparedness.

Karen Ebey-Tessendorf, Emergency Preparedness Director for the North Central Health District, nominated Halaska for this award. Ebey-Tessendorf said, “This presentation truly exemplifies the Citizens Corps program in reaching out to the community, sharing information, and encouraging others to become more prepared for disasters and emergencies. When she talks with others about getting prepared for disasters, her enthusiasm is contagious!”

Since January 1, 2010, Halaska has put in more than 125 volunteer hours as a member of the Central Georgia Medical Reserve Corps. MRC units are community-based and engage medical, public health, and other civilian volunteers to strengthen public health and improved emergency preparedness and response.

In 2006, Congress passed and the President signed the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act. This law allows willing, able and approved members of the MRC to be deployed to support the Federal response in areas of need during a public health emergency. There are more than 927 MRC units and almost 209,471 volunteers across the nation.

For more information on the Central Georgia Medical Reserve Corps or the Emergency Preparedness presentation, please visit www.northcentralhealthdistrict.com/mrc.