Dr Andrew Dunn

Port St. Lucie podiatrist recognized at National Jefferson Awards ceremonies

PORT ST. LUCIE — Dr. Andrew D'Errico, a Port St. Lucie podiatrist who has helped many people beyond his medical practice, was honored this week at the 2011 National Jefferson Awards for Public Service ceremonies in Washington.

He was recognized for managing the medical team for Honor Flight of Southeast Florida, which provides free flights to Washington to visit the World War II Memorial for veterans. D'Errico also was recognized for providing free surgical clinics, shoes and clothes at Romanian orphanages and for helping with the Special Olympics.

The National Jefferson Awards for Public Service ceremonies recognize volunteerism and public service at both the national and local level. D'Errico joined dozens of local volunteers from around the country, as well as a handful of national figures, some famous, at banquet ceremonies Monday and Tuesday nights.

"U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was here, two kids who got all these prepaid calling cards for U.S. soldiers were here, all these senators, and a lot of regular people, too," D'Errico said.

"Warrick Dunn of the Atlanta Falcons was my favorite of the celebrities."

Even in the midst of being honored Monday, D'Errico ended up helping someone else. The volunteer next to him, a young woman, went into an epileptic seizure. D'Errico quietly attended to her until paramedics arrived.

"I felt like I was back on an Honor Flight," he said. "If it's medical, I just jump in there."

D'Errico said he loved spending two days with people sharing upbeat stories about projects they do to improve their communities.

"It inspired me," he said. "It made me want to do even more."

D'Errico sought out Sam Beard, who founded of the Jefferson Awards in 1972 with Sen. Robert Taft Jr. and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

"He said the key is getting more people involved," D'Errico said. "There's only one of me, but get more people involved, and we can do more. That's what I'll be working on next."

Publicity from his Regional Jefferson Award already has involved more people in his three charitable efforts, D'Errico said. His podiatry office in Port St. Lucie has received many children's shoes, socks and clothes for the Romanian orphanages, which his staff has boxed, ready for his next visit. The local Special Olympics and Honor Flights have had more volunteers and donations, too.

"That's been a great boost for all of these efforts, and I can't thank people enough," D'Errico said.

Basler Chair to teach, lecture during fall term - East Tennessean

East Tennessee State University students have a unique opportunity in the upcoming fall semester. Dr.

Jennings Bryant, who recently retired from the University of Alabama, will be teaching two courses and

conducting four lectures as holder of the Wayne G. Basler Chair of Excellence.

"It's great our department scored such an influential professor to teach this fall," said ETSU junior Alex Ingraham. "It's not every day you get the opportunity to take a class taught by the Basler Chair. "

Bryant grew up in Spruce Pine, N.C., about 60 miles from Johnson City, Tenn. Due to his familiarity with the area he is looking forward to teaching students at ETSU.

"I have known him personally for three or four years," said journalism professor Dr. Andrew Dunn. "ETSU is lucky to have him here."

The two courses offered for the fall semester are MCOM 4040 Media, Family and Children, and a graduate seminar MCOM 5040 Media Effects. He is also offering four lectures that will be open to the public. One of the lectures is titled "Why Did I Just Watch That? Lessons from Entertainment Theory."

"We are sponsoring the Basler Chair at an exciting time in the communication department," said Department of Communication Chair Dr. Amber Kinser. "Bryant is one of the leading experts in the field. If you are a student at ETSU and do not take one of these courses, you are missing a lifetime opportunity."

MCOM 4040 meets a key requirement for journalism majors and is a writing intensive course, but many students can benefit from studying how the media affects families.

As of the last week of the spring semester, there were only a few seats left in the undergraduate course. Thirteen seats were left in the graduate course.

"I expect to be challenged, but I look forward to that," said Ingraham. "I think I'll come away from the class with an enhanced understanding of how media affects children and families."

When Dr. Dan Brown, assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, heard that Bryant was retiring from UA, he said it was an easy decision to offer the Basler chair to him. Brown is encouraging students from other disciplines to take one of the courses offered in the fall.

"Anyone interested in families and children can benefit from MCOM 4040," said Brown. "In my opinion, there is no force that exerts more influence on families and children than the media. This is a rare opportunity for ETSU students.

The history of Andrew Dunn, An Irish Catholic, in which some pretensions of the Church of Rome are examined by the light of Holy Scripture

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Life of the Most Reverend John Hughes, D.D., first archbishop of New York. With extracts from his private correspondence