Sports Medicine Physicians of AMSSM to Revitalize High-Need Play Space in New Orleans

Sports Medicine Physicians of AMSSM to Revitalize High-Need Play Space in New Orleans
By AMSSM member David Feig, MD

NEW ORLEANS, La. – More than 60 sports medicine physicians of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) will be volunteering to help revitalize a New Orleans park next Friday, April 4, 2014. The humanitarian service project takes place a day prior to the 2014 AMSSM Annual Meeting and is the first time a day of service has been incorporated into the beginning of the organization’s annual conference.

With guidance from HandsOn New Orleans and the New Orleans Recreational Development Commission, AMSSM chose the site of Kenilworth Park, a high-need play space adjacent to ARISE Academy charter school located in the New Orleans East neighborhood. The school educates underserved children of New Orleans with 100 percent of the students receiving free lunch. Volunteers will spend a day resurfacing a playground, cleaning out batting cages, repairing fences, re-striping a sports field and painting equipment at the park.

This project is funded with contributions to the AMSSM Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational foundation dedicated to the support and recognition of excellence in sports medicine education, research and scientific activities, while promoting opportunities for humanitarian outreach. As the fundraising arm of AMSSM, the Foundation accepts contributions, sponsorship support and grants from individuals and corporate supporters to fund programs, research, education and initiatives developed by AMSSM. To learn more or to donate to the project, visit www.amssmfoundation.org.

Margot Putukian, MD, a team physician with Princeton University and president of the AMSSM Foundation, said, “We wanted to provide an opportunity for our members to get their hands dirty in a project that provides a tangible, needed resource – a play area that the community can use to have fun and exercise.”

About the AMSSM: AMSSM is a multi-disciplinary organization of 2,500 sports medicine physicians dedicated to education, research, advocacy and the care of athletes of all ages. The majority of AMSSM members are primary care physicians with fellowship training and added qualification in sports medicine who then combine their practice of sports medicine with their primary specialty. AMSSM includes members who specialize solely in non-surgical sports medicine and serve as team physicians at the youth level, NCAA, NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA, MLS and NHL, as well as with Olympic teams. By nature of their training and experience, sports medicine physicians are ideally suited to provide comprehensive medical care for athletes, sports teams or active individuals who are simply looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle. www.amssm.org

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