Teen Health Connection, a nonprofit serving adolescents in foster care, held its 2016 fundraising gala with over 300 community members. The event celebrated the organization's 25-year history and presented the Dr. John G. Johnston Award to Karen Chandler of the Mecklenburg Medical Alliance.
What a fun evening. Something for everyone. There was a little laughter.
He's like, you're gonna eat that lobster? You have any idea how that lobster died? Hot tub accident.
A lot of music with Too Much Sylvia.
What can I say? What am I going to do? How should I feel when everything is you?
And there was a great cause.
Teen Health Connection means everything to our kids in foster care. We make sure that any adolescent that comes into foster care has Teen Health Connection as their medical home.
Here are more than 300 people who care passionately about teenagers. They came to enjoy fine food and bid on items at the silent auction, each with their own reasons for wanting to give.
Well, I've been familiar with their works for a long time. I was able to go to the open house when they opened their facility years ago, but while working, just never really had the time to connect. And had a little more time to try to connect with some of the ministries in Charlotte, and I think that what they do is great, and I wanted to help and to have an opportunity to be part of something like this.
The generosity tonight means a lot to those who work for Teen Health Connection.
They're the ones on the ground helping the teenagers I'm actually part of a team that conducts independent psychological assessments on youth in custody for Mecklenburg County. It's a very, very sometimes difficult position, but also it's very meaningful.
Many in the room have been here since the beginning.
We're just so proud of all that it's become. In the almost 25 years, there are literally thousands of teens' lives that it's made a difference in to keep them healthy, safe, and successful, and we're so proud of that.
This year's award winner was here at the beginning as well.
Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming to the stage Ms. Karen Chandler, President of MMAE, who is accepting the prestigious 2016 Dr. John G. Johnston Award for Excellence in Adolescent Medicine and Health on behalf of the Mecklenburg Medical Alliance and Endowment. Ms. Chandler.
It was a special moment.
And thank you to the Teen Health Connection board for selecting us. Thank you especially, Dr. Johnston, without whose leadership and vision Teen Health Connection would not be thriving today. Thank you, Libby Seyfried, who has more energy and positivity than any 10 teenagers. She's like Atlas holding up this organization. And thank you to each of you for being here to support them and their mission.
Obviously, this is such a fun evening, but it's also such an important mission. Teen Health Connection provides mental and medical healthcare, plus prevention and education programs for teenagers at one of the most fragile times in their lives, and they've been doing this since 1992. For Teen Health Connection, I'm Suzanne Stevens.
