Peter Krause
Giving back: I work w/ a number of local non-profits, but spend most of my time w/ the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, based in Atlanta. I serve on their Board of Directors, assist with the joint annual charity event (The Charity Golf Classic) and I “Dial for Dollars.”
Pivots: The majority of our fundraising events are conducted outdoors and have been canceled which means less money for the organization at a time when every dollar counts. Events may be canceled but cancer isn’t. Therefore, we’ve had to become creative in how we continue our fundraising efforts for PBTF. We hosted a virtual auction pivoting from the annual 2-day golf event at Chateau Elan. We netted our best year ever for PBTF with approximately 300,000 raised in our 16-year history.
Giving thanks: I'm thankful for family and friends – Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.
Around my table: I can’t say (we’ll have over 10 family and friends )…oh, and I’ll be doing plenty of the cooking.
Peter resides in Alpharetta, works at J. Smith Lanier in Johns Creek.
Shirley E. “Bella” Borghi
Giving back: I serve as the Executive Director and Co-Vice Chairman the Hispanic Health Coalition of Georgia. The HHCGA is a 30+ year old 501(c)(3), which has humbly served the underserved and under serviced minority populations within the Hispanic, Latino, and Hispanic/Latino Black populations in the mission of better overall outcomes as relates to all chronic diseases, behavioral sciences, access to a healthy life and access to healthcare, (cultural and linguistic expertise), non-partisan health policy and advocacy organization focused on our constituents regionally, nationally, and beyond.
Pivots: COVID-19 has been a driving force in addressing complex issues such as transportation, food deserts, access to testing, accessing to vetted information, language and culturally competency, education, and overall uplift of our population through difficult and ever changing times.
Giving thanks: Family and loved ones are the foundation which allows one to find gratitude, compassion, and the uplifting of others in our community. The foundation serves as a solid anchor to build upon in all other areas of your life. For that I am hugely thankful.
Around my table: I will share my Thanksgiving table with my most amazing husband David who resonates unbelievable valuable characteristics and continually serves as a great aspiration, role model, and partner on my journey.
Bella lives in Roswell and works in Alpharetta.
Linda Paulk Buchanan, Ph.D, CEDS-S
Giving Back: I am on the board for EDIN, a local non-profit organization dedicated to improving EDucation and INsight about eating disorders. Most people don’t know that a person dies every 62 minutes in the US due to eating disorder related causes. This number is also low in that, due to misconceptions, many people with eating disorders go undiagnosed. This makes having an eating disorder as life-threatening as breast cancer while receiving only 1/25th of the funding by the NIH. As a breast cancer survivor I am grateful for all the money and research that has been dedicated to this illness but as a psychologist who treats people with eating disorders I am dismayed by the lack of such in the eating disorder field.
Pivots: One way that I raise money for EDIN is by dancing in the EDIN Celebrity Dance Challenge. This year, it was virtual! I have danced in the previous two and have won both times making me the only person to date to be able to claim that honor! It is a privilege to be able to raise money in such an incredibly fun way. Additionally, I give talks to schools and other organizations and I field many calls primarily from worried parents to help them find resources.
Giving thanks: Knowing a God who loves me, my husband of 36 years and two college aged adopted sons, extended family who live near by and of course, during these times, my heath.
Around my table: That’s a huge dilemma as I have a son with a lung condition and a husband with asthma, thus, we haven’t been having family gatherings. My father just turned 85 and we had to do a drive-by parade to celebrate. It was both fun and sad at the same time.
Linda recently moved from Alpharetta to Milton, works at Walden Behavorial Care in Alpharetta and her work with EDIN reaches inside and outside the perimeter.