A Call To Serve (ACTS) International

Building a Healthier Future for Georgian Families, Together

For more than three decades, A Call To Serve (ACTS) International has united the hearts of Mid-Missourians with families in the country of Georgia. This enduring partnership has done more than just provide aid; it has saved lives, created lasting educational bonds and strengthened the connection between Columbia and many friends on the other side of the globe.

Our work began with the passion of Dr. Trish Blair, who fell in love with this little country and its people. After witnessing children suffer with treatable health issues, she championed access to Western-quality medical care following the Soviet Union’s collapse and fostered international partnerships by establishing a sister-city relationship between Columbia and Kutaisi, Georgia.  She was supported in these efforts by dedicated American volunteers — including the late Drs. Ron and Betty James, Pat Hutchinson, and Diana Groshong — as well as a host of Georgian professionals and many others.

We lost our beloved founder to ovarian cancer in 2018, but her legacy continues with two vital initiatives:

•    Diabetes Education: Empowering young people to self-manage their condition through comprehensive training in diet, blood glucose monitoring and active living.

•    Neonatal Survival: Training rural medical staff in advanced resuscitation techniques to ensure high-risk newborns make a safe transition into life outside the womb.

Your contribution today ensures that the ACTS-Lions Ronald James Georgian Diabetic Children's Camp can open its doors next summer to children who have no other access to this life-extending care. Additionally, you will help establish the Patricia J. Blair, M.D., Neonatal Simulation Training Center, a permanent hospital-based facility creating a sustainable nationwide resource for Georgian doctors and nurses fighting to save newborns in respiratory distress.

Your partnership makes these labors of love possible.