Mahaffey Linkous Giving Back
At Mahaffey Linkous Orthodontics, Dr. Michael Mahaffey and Dr. Eric Linkous are committed to giving back to the community that supports us. To that end, our doctors both contribute to various fundraisers and events and has developed some specific programs for the community.
Open Wide Open
In 2003, Dr. Michael Mahaffey gathered a few friends and dentists together for a golf tournament he called the Open Wide Open. For 15 years they gathered and he’d ask his colleagues to donate to a specific charity as part of their participation. It was informal, but made the world a better place, one swing at a time.
In 2017, Mahaffey Linkous Orthodontics partnered with Fayette Care Clinic to make the Open Wide Open an even better community-oriented activity.
“We believe in giving back as a part of who we are at Mahaffey Linkous Orthodontics,” said Dr. Michael Mahaffey. “Underwriting the Open Wide Open for Fayette Care Clinic as Presenting Sponsor made perfect sense to us. Supporting healthcare in our community for struggling families is a perfect way for a health related practice like ours to make a difference.”
From a few friends on the golf course to a full-fledged golf tournament, the Open Wide Open has become a huge financial success for Fayette Care Clinic.
Fayette Care Clinic Executive Director Deb Presley-Christiansen says, “The proceeds from the Mahaffey Linkous Open Wide Open Golf Tournament are instrumental to Fayette C.A.R.E. Clinic in continuing to provide healthcare to Fayette County’s uninsured neighbors in need. It is more important than ever that the uninsured have a medical home for primary and specialty care and labs and testing to make sure Fayette County is its healthiest.”
She continued, “Each of the past 3 years, the golf tournament has increased over 20% to the year prior totaling more than $90,000! Through its network of volunteers and partners, Fayette C.A.R.E. Clinic provides $8 in healthcare services for every $1 donated, therefore; Mahaffey Linkous Orthodontics contributed more than $700,000 in services to our Fayette County community.”
Fayette C.A.R.E. Clinic provides primary care, dental, vision, cardiology, podiatry, gynecology, chiropractic, behavioral health, dermatology, physical therapy, gastroenterology, labs, and non-narcotic prescriptions. Fayette C.A.R.E. clinic is now a medical home to more than 900 patients providing in excess of 5,000 patient visits per year. The vast majority of FFC patients are working people with lower incomes that are usually temporarily without insurance coverage. Fayette C.A.R.E. Clinic 501(c)3 is part of the Georgia Volunteer Health Care Program (GVHCP) of the Department of Public Health.
Deb Presley-Christiansen concluded, “Through the generous donations provided by the Mahaffey Linkous Orthodontics Open Wide Open Golf Tournament, Fayette C.A.R.E. Clinic lessens potential health crises for their patients and the entire community.”
All Smiles Award
Mahaffey Linkous Orthodontics launched the All Smiles Award in 2016 to honor students who make others smile. “There are many awards for academics and athletics, so I was looking to honor those kids who have exceptional character and make the world a better place,” said Dr. Michael Mahaffey.
Each year, several dozen local schools participate. In each school at each grade level, 4th through 8th, a student is awarded the Mahaffey Linkous Orthodontics All Smiles Award at the year-end awards ceremony. Along with a certificate, the All Smiles Award Winners are given $100 gift cards, sponsored by Mahaffey Linkous Orthodontics.
In addition to the student awards, Mahaffey Linkous Orthodontics also donates $100 per student winner at each school. At elementary schools this is usually $200, and $300 at middle schools. The donations are intended to support the schools and underwrite their awards programming.
MENTORise
Having built a successful orthodontics practice in Peachtree City, Dr. Michael Mahaffey looked for a way that he could share his business expertise and create a legacy across Fayette County and South Metro Atlanta.
“Mentoring people who have just launched businesses made the most sense. There are so many mistakes that can be avoided if a person has the right mentor,” said Dr. Mahaffey.
So Dr. Mahaffey founded MENTORise as part of his vision to help up and coming entrepreneurs in our community to grow their businesses. He gathered other local business people to serve as mentors, so that they can meet with aspiring entrepreneurs to share ideas, forge partnerships and create opportunities.
“Our mentors are amazing people—leaders in the business community, whom I’ve met since I started working as an orthodontist in 1992, in Peachtree City since 2002,” said Dr. Mahaffey. Our mentees range in age and experience, but all have launched or want to launch a business and are looking for wisdom in the process.
Since 2016, MENTORise has made connections and offered free mentoring for aspiring entrepreneurs. MENTORise connects mentors to mentees through an in-person event called The Forum. For more information about MENTORise and the opportunity to fill out an application, visit MENTORise.org.