Atlanta Journal-Constitution
September 13, 2014
Written By: Jennifer Brett
“Sam Champion to emcee event on climate change”
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By Jennifer Brett
Weather Channel anchor Sam Champion will emcee an upcoming luncheon concerning climate change.
The event, presented by Mothers and Others for Clean Air, a program of the American Lung Association in Georgia, is called Our Changing Climate Is Changing Our Weather: How We Can Protect Our Families. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 3 at the St. Regis hotel in Buckhead.
“Our changing climate is predicted to increase temperatures, which is likely to increase ozone pollution,” the group said. “Ozone is a well-known trigger for asthma attacks and is linked to a greater risk of premature death in adults and diminished lung capacity. And we are likely to see more pollen and mold affecting children with allergies. We know, as mothers, parents and caregivers, that all of our children are especially vulnerable to air pollution and allergens.”
In addition to lunch and a silent auction, the event will feature a discussion with a panel of experts, including Marshall Shepherd, director of the University of Georgia’s Atmospheric Sciences Program and past president of the American Meteorological Society; George Luber, an epidemiologist and an associate director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Heather McTeer Toney, regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency’s southeast region; and Dr. Jennifer Shih, a physician and assistant professor in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University Hospital and School of Medicine.
Guests also will hear from 14-year-old Mikayla Wiseman, who will discuss how air pollution impacts her asthma.
The event is being spearheaded by philanthropists Laura Turner Seydel, Stephanie Blank, Lisa Rayner and Andrea Young.
Key sponsors include the Weather Channel and the American Lung Association in Georgia, along with Marianne Clark, Enid Draluck, Steve Eaton, Turia Gumpert, Donna Hyland, Su Longman, Clare and Nigel Richardson, and Nina Schwartz.
Table hosts include Wendy Babchin and Lyn Ross, Ann Cramer and Ann Curry, Maxine and Dottie Hyland, Anne Mellinger-Birdsong and Dr. Yasmin Tyler-Hill.
Table-host sponsorships, which include 10 seats, start at $750. For more information, see mothersandothersforcleanair.org/event-enlightenment-luncheon or call 770-544-0508.
