Barry Bartasavich
Master Gunnery Sergeant (Retired) United State Marine Corps
Greenbrier High School ROTC
As a Master Gunnery Sergeant, Barry and a fellow Marine risked their own safety by entering a live fire zone to rescue a family by bringing them out of the line of fire, allowing them to be treated for injuries, and providing protection from enemy forces. Now, he serves our country in another way by mentoring and instructing students as part of Greenbrier High School’s ROTC program. “He is an example of a man who is not a good educator simply because he knows the most facts about the subject he teaches,” says Barry’s daughter and co-worker Alex Wieczorek, “but because he knows the way to change a kid’s world is to give them what he can and support them with all he has.”
Kari Poss
Columbia County Teen Court
Columbia County Teen Court, a program offered through a partnership between Columbia County Juvenile Court the nonprofit organization Columbia County Community Connections, provides teenagers the opportunity to learn all aspects of the court system. “The kids actually handle real juvenile misdemeanor court cases,” explains the program’s co-founder Kari Poss. “They're trained by attorneys to serve as prosecutors, defense attorneys, and the jury. They handle everything from start to finish with these cases.” Teen Court, which is part of an international program, runs through volunteers and donations.
For more information on how to volunteer or support Teen Court as a student or professional advisor, visit www.cccc4kids.org or contact Kari at kposs@connectcolumbia.org or (706)799-8756.
Amy Breitmann
Golden Harvest Food Bank
Amy serves as President & CEO at Golden Harvest Food Bank, which distributes over 12 million meals a year across 25 counties in Georgia and South Carolina. She’s spearheading two construction projects that will help the Food Bank and its partner agencies get more food out into the communities they serve. “One is a volunteer and administration center, which will open late next spring and greatly increase the number of volunteers we can bring to our campus,” shares Amy. “The other is the demolition of our current food sorting facility which will be replaced with a Produce Rescue Center. It will add tremendous freezer and cooler space to bring in more fresh produce and get fresh food out to our counties.” For more information and to get involved, visit goldenharvest.org.
Liz Walker, RN, BSN
That’s My Nurse
As a concierge nursing service, That’s My Nurse focuses on helping clients manage their long-term health to produce positive outcomes and prevent hospitalizations. “I help educate people about what they need to do to get healthier, stay healthier, stay out of the hospital,” explains Liz. “I advocate for them at doctor's appointments, or in the hospital if they're hospitalized, help coordinate the care between their doctors and stay on top of their appointments, and assist in setting up medications. In general, I make sure my clients get access to the resources they need through building an individualized program to produce the best outcomes for that particular client.” For more information or to set up a consultation, visit www.thatsmynurse.com or call 803-599-6655.