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Local Leaders Attend Annual PINACLE 'Ministers of Health' Breakfast
More
than a dozen local ministers and community leaders recently attended the
'Ministers of Health' breakfast, an annual event hosted by PINACLE, geared
toward recruiting local leaders to help spread valuable health information.
Dean Johnson opened the morning's presentation with a few words about the importance of community involvement. He recalls his experience as an NJMS freshman in 1968.
"I was part of a movement of students that realized the need to work and participate in their community," Dean Johnson said. "It is this exact spirit that still survives in the students today and the proof lies in the sheer numbers of outreach organizations like PINACLE that exist at UMDNJ. Volunteering is the expectation when you come here. It is part of the culture."
Sarada Sakamuri, co- chair of the PINCALE program, touts the mutual benefits of the program.
"It is a great learning experience for students who are trying to develop their counseling skills, and for people in the community, it can help them recognize what is normal versus what is a medical emergency." Sakamuri said." This piece of information could be life saving."
Margaret Cammarieri, a representative from the American Health Association (AHA) attended the breakfast for the second year in a row. Cammarieri explains that PINACLE has enabled the AHA to be more active in their outreach.
"Because of PINACLE and their availability we have been able to coordinate informational meetings every month," Cammarieri said. "Prior to this alignment, it was as little as twice a year."