Online dedication honors scholarship namesakes and recipients

posted 10.08.09

In special recognition of the Foundation scholarship namesakes and awardees, Foundation staff assembled the Wall of Honor. The online tribute showcases photos and descriptions of the TAFP leaders for whom the scholarships were named, as well as photos and updates from the scholarship recipients. It is a nod to the previous Wall of Honor, which featured a multi-panel bulletin board display of namesake photos at past Annual Sessions.

“TAFP staff spent many hours making the new Wall of Honor come to life,” says Kathy McCarthy, executive director of the TAFP Foundation. “The photos featured in the introduction capture the massive impact of the program: the Foundation Board members who worked for so many years to get the scholarship program moving, the donors whose contributions sustain the program, the namesakes who continue to inspire and direct our efforts, and the recipients who are the future of family medicine.”

During the introduction, photo after photo of Board members, donors, namesakes and recipients appear on the screen, personifying the faces behind the philanthropic arm of the Academy. Representing the strength the Foundation draws from its supporters, their photos segue into the TAFP Foundation logo—multi-color blue building blocks. After the introduction, the namesake slides play in alphabetical order with their recipients organized in chronological order.

To view the Wall of Honor, go to www.tafp.org/foundation/wallofhonor and click the large play button icon.

Foundation names Dr. Linda Siy Philanthropist of the Year

posted 07.25.09

Foundation President Dale Moquist, M.D., presents the 2009 Philanthropist of the Year award to Linda Siy, M.D.

In a surprise announcement, Linda Siy, M.D., of Fort Worth, Texas, was named the Philanthropist of the Year by the Texas Academy of Family Physicians Foundation. She received her award on July 25 at the annual Business and Awards Lunch held during TAFP’s 60th Annual Session and Scientific Assembly in Arlington.

Dr. Siy practices family medicine at the JPS Health Center — Northeast in Bedford. She is active within academia as a clinical associate professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and as the assistant professor of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of North Texas Health Sciences Center in Fort Worth. Dr. Siy is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.

Dr. Siy has been a generous donor to the TAFP Foundation for many years and is a longtime member of the TAFP Foundation Board of Trustees. She is on her way to becoming a Research Champion by starting a Family Medicine Research Fund, which will support the Foundation’s research grants. She is involved in other charitable organizations in her community including the YMCA.

To read the full award announcement, go the the Press Releases page of the TAFP Foundation Web site.

TAFP Foundation launches research endowment program

posted 07.21.09

The TAFP Foundation officially launched the new Family Medicine Research Endowment Program during the 60th Annual Session and Scientific Assembly in Arlington. Over the past 20 years, the TAFP Foundation has provided more than $200,000 to over 60 projects. While this is an admirable feat, the new program pools contributions into a large research fund to allow the Foundation research committee to award larger and more meaningful grants.

You can create a research fund in your name or to honor a colleague. Collectively the funds will support the research efforts of the Foundation and each fund honoree will be identified as a Family Medicine Research Champion. Donors should make a $250 donation to start growing the fund and have five years to fund a Bronze Level ($5,000) fund from the time the commitment form and initial donation is received by the TAFP Foundation. Interested in becoming a Family Medicine Research Champion? Read more in the Research Endowment section of Foundation Web site. Or, get started now! Download the faxable commitment form.

TAFP Foundation declares silent auction a success

posted 07.21.09

Going once, going twice...sold! The TAFP Foundation silent auction, held during the 60th Annual Session and Scientific Assembly in Arlington, raised more than $3,000 for the philanthropic arm of TAFP. Bidding began Friday, July 17 at 6:45 a.m. and ended Saturday, July 18 at 9 p.m. during the TAFP President’s Party.

Items for auction included tickets to a University of Texas Longhorn football game, San Antonio Spurs basketball tickets, getaways in Dallas, San Antonio and Orlando, Florida, a one-of-a-kind TAFP football, a movie night package, and more. Thanks to all of the donors and bidders who made the silent auction a success.

Scholarship program achieves special milestones in 2009

posted 05.15.09

This year, the TAFP Foundation Scholarship Program hits two large milestones. The program will celebrate its 15-year anniversary as well as award the 100th scholarship during the 60th Annual Session and Scientific Assembly this summer. The good news came during the Interim Session Board meeting.

In special recognition of our scholarship awardees and namesakes, the TAFP Foundation is assembling a virtual "Wall of Honor." Through an interactive slideshow, viewers of the Wall of Honor will see photographs of the TAFP leaders the scholarships were named after, and photographs and updates from the scholarship recipients. Once completed, the show will be displayed on a monitor in the Exhibit Hall during the 2009 Annual Session and will be available in the Wall of Honor section of the TAFP Foundation Web site.

Support the TAFP Foundation at Annual Session

posted 05.01.09

The three main goals of the TAFP Foundation are to support family medicine research, encourage medical students to choose family medicine and support family medicine residents. Each year, the Foundation provides support for practice-based research on a variety of topics by family physicians across the state. There are three ways to support the TAFP Foundation during the 60th Annual Session and Scientific Assembly.

Help the TAFP Foundation support research in Texas by offering a tax-deductible donation. Join the Foundation in celebrating TAFP’s 60th Annual Session by donating at least $60 this year. You can donate along with your registration fee for Annual Session. Give $60 or any other amount. Make your donation with your Annual Session registration or online.
Foundation Board members will be in the Exhibit Hall Friday morning serving breakfast, answering questions and thanking you for your support.
Be an Annual Session VIP. Make a donation of $100 to upgrade your general session seating on Friday and Saturday to VIP status. For a limited number of attendees, there will be special executive style chairs in a reserved area with exclusive perks just for our VIPs. Sign up to be a VIP when registering for Annual Session.

Find more information about this summer’s conference at www.tafp.org/education/programs/2009as.

Foundation names clinic for 2009 Physicians With Heart program

posted 03.16.09

In conjunction with each Annual Session, the TAFP Foundation and Section on Special Constituencies coordinate the Physicians With Heart program, an service project that allows TAFP members to donate funds a designated charitable clinic in the host city. This year’s donations will benefit the Bob Mann Medical Clinic in Arlington. Make your donation during Annual Session registration, online, or bring your donation to the Annual Session registration desk for TAFP staff to collect. All donations will be given to the Bob Mann Medical Clinic after the conference.

Foundation boosts research efforts with new endowment program

posted 03.16.09

During the 2009 Interim Session meeting in Austin, the Foundation Board of Trustees announced the creation of the TAFP Foundation Research Endowment. Through the endowment, the Foundation will gain a sustained source of support for our research efforts. Foundation staff will campaign to develop funds in the name of designated honorees, known as Research Champions. We will share more information about the endowment as details become available.

Jim and Karen White Scholarship Created

updated 01.15.09

Jim White with TAFP Foundation Past Presidents Stephen Benold, M.D., Seth Cowan, M.D., and current Foundation President Dale Moquist, M.D.

Longtime TAFP Executive Director and former TAFP Foundation Executive Director, Jim White retired at the end of 2007. Current and past leaders of TAFP gathered during the TAFP Annual Session in Corpus Christi to celebrate Jim’s 25-year career with TAFP and to raise funds for the Jim and Karen White Leadership Scholarship. A special thank you to all the generous supporters of this new scholarship, especially Texas Medical Liability Trust and Texas Medical Association for their sponsorship of the dinner.

To make a donation to this scholarship fund, send a check to the TAFP Foundation office at 12012 Technology Boulevard, Suite 200; Austin, TX 78727.