Researchers evaluate educational programs on traffic safety issues
A team of UGA health promotion and behavior researchers has received a $221,300 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to evaluate the effectiveness of the agency’s educational programs on traffic safety issues.

The GOHS programs—aimed at reducing crashes, injuries and fatalities on Georgia roadways—include “Operation Zero Tolerance,” “Click-It-or-Ticket” and the recent “100 Days of Summer Heat.” The agency currently is focusing on underage and adult drinking-and-driving prevention, programs to train judges and prosecutors, direct law enforcement, occupant protection and pedestrian safety, older driver and rural roads initiatives; motorcycle safety, and speeding/aggressive driving reduction.

The UGA team, led by College of Education project director Carol Cotton and Stuart Fors, a former professor of health promotion and behavior, will provide evaluation oversight for all GOHS 2004-05 grants. Also on the team are Wayland Walker, program analyst, and Brook Snoddy and Erin Kirkbride, research assistants.

The primary focus of the project is to systematically review and analyze grantee -effectiveness and determine the overall effectiveness of GOHS in managing hundreds of grant recipients.

The UGA team will produce annual comprehensive reports to help GOHS better meet its mandates by objectively measuring grantee effectiveness and with it, Georgia’s regionally low crash fatalities and injuries.

Botanical Garden café re-opening postponed
[EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a different version of the story that appears in the paper version of the Oct. 4 issue of Columns, which had already been printed when this announcement was made].

The Garden Room Café at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, which was scheduled to reopen Oct. 5 as Café Trumps at the Garden, has been postponed.

“Due to an unforeseen problem with equipment delivery, Café Trumps at the Garden will not open on October 5th as planned,” says Lisa Kennedy, public relations director for the Botanical Garden. “The new opening date will be announced as soon as the problem has been rectified.”

Once the café reopens, it will continue serving lunch Tuesdays through Sundays and will also begin offering, starting at 10 a.m., a Rise and Shine menu of scones, pastries, biscuits, muffins, fruits and beverages. Catering for events held at the Botanical Garden will also be available through the café.

Owned and operated by Ron Schwartz and Andrée Kosak, Trumps began operation in 1986 first as a restaurant on Barnett Shoals Road and beginning in 1988 as a full service caterer operating out of the Georgian, a restored historic hotel in downtown Athens. Alan Wilson will serve as on-site manager of Café Trumps, and Shelia Bradley will serve as chef.

For more information, call 542-6359.

UGA will observe National Pharmacy Day with ‘DAWGtoberfest’ Oct. 20
UGA’s College of Pharmacy will celebrate National Pharmacy Day Oct. 20 from 2 p.m to 6 p.m. with “DAWGtoberfest: Rx for Good Health,” an event open to UGA students, faculty, staff and their families in the Athens area.

Sponsored by the Academy of Students of Pharmacy at UGA, the event will be held on the D.W. Brooks Mall lawn. It will include a health fair and musical performance. T-shirts and other gifts will be distributed throughout the day, and light refreshments will be served.

UGA pharmacy faculty and students will administer free tests—including body fat analysis, diabetes assessment and blood pressure check—and will provide information on nonprescription and prescription medications. Booths will display information on asthma, breast cancer, diabetes, hypertension, low-carbohydrate diets, immunization schedules, sexually transmitted diseases and smoking cessation.

Also available will be vaccinations for flu ($19) and tetanus ($20) as well as bone density screening at the discounted price of $10. Cash, debit cards and credit cards will be accepted.