Surgeons of Service In The News!

Surgeons of Service In The News!

Our Latest coverage in the May 2017 Inside the Gates Magazine! This press releases outlines the recent activity of Surgeons of Service locally and globally.

Da Vinci Foot and Ankle is proud to be the newest podiatry practice serving both the Lake Country in Greensboro, and West Augusta in Thomson. Dr. Allison Menke and Dr. Christopher Menke are a brother-sister team who strive to provide the best foot, ankle and leg care, this side of Atlanta. They have a passion for their new practices but are also making valiant strides to give back, both home and abroad.

After participating in various mission trips throughout Central America and the Caribbean, both Dr. Allison and Dr. Chris have realized there is a great need that stretches far beyond the office doors. Humbled by their experiences and in an effort to continue service, they formed Surgeons of Service (surgeonsofservice.org) to give back not only abroad, but to the local communities as well. Their Mission is to inspire humanitarian efforts, locally and globally, to create poverty awareness, instill education, and provide medical assistance.

Most recently, their medical efforts abroad have been focused in a remote town on the northern peninsula of Samana, in the Dominican Republic. After a 3-hour direct flight from Atlanta, to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the group travels north, driving for 2 more hours before arriving in the small town of Las Terrenas. It is here where a clinic is held, providing patients with foot and ankle medical care that they would otherwise not receive, and at no cost to them. Never knowing what to expect, the team arrives prepared to handle most anything that walks in the door. They often give injections, provide wound care and give out various supportive braces and orthotics. For the more severe pathology, surgery is also performed.

While visiting Las Terrenas, they quickly realized that many individuals could not afford or did not have access to basic shoe-gear. In fact, watching children run barefoot in a 2016 fundraising 5k fun run (in Las Terrenas) was the eye-opening inspiration for their newest campaign, Shoes of Service! In an attempt to prevent the many foot and ankle problems that Dr. Allison and Dr. Chris routinely see in the clinic, the Shoes of Service campaign is geared towards aggregating new and gently used shoes for those in need. In just a few short months, the two Da Vinci Foot & Ankle locations have already collected over 600 pairs of adult and pediatric shoes!

Without community involvement and countless others, Surgeons of Service would not be possible. Local realtor Kelly Littleton has been actively involved with the organization and logistics of the Surgeons of Service cause, donating time and participating on multiple trips. Additionally, Scott Stinson of Benzer Pharmacy has donated funds, medications and supplies for the clinic and has also participated in multiple trips to Las Terrenas. Surgeons of Service has recently partnered with Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) to run a bi-annual internal shoe drive. These shoes are to benefit not only the children of Las Terrenas, but also those in need from the tri-county area of Greene, Putnam, and Morgan Counties. Other recent events by LOA students include: Anna Harris (LOA sophomore) who has spearheaded the first Shoes of Service Fun Run and 5K on Lake Oconee Academy’s campus on April 8, 2017. This event raised more than $3,800 to help cover the shipping cost of transporting the shoes to Las Terrenas! Katie Tran (LOA sophomore) has coordinated a LOA Talent Show scheduled for April 28th, 2017 to collect monetary donations and used shoes, and Colby Fournier (LOA 7th grader) initiated her own shoe drive, Sole Mission, collecting roughly 200 pair of shoes from the lake community in 2016. All proceeds and collected shoes from these events have been designated to benefit the Surgeons of Service cause.

The partnership with Lake Oconee Academy has been a great opportunity and their goal is to partner up with additional schools in the surrounding area. As Dr. Chris and Dr. Allison continue to integrate into the local community, they are also excited to have partnered with Second Harvest. At the April 15th distribution, both doctors spent time providing basic foot screenings for individuals and roughly 300 pairs of shoes and braces were given out! They plan to continue with this event regularly and need new and gently used shoes for men, woman, and children. Shoe donations are accepted throughout the year at both Da Vinci Foot and Ankle locations. Monetary donations and volunteer / partnership opportunities can be directed online at SurgeonsofService.org.