The Free Press Second Saturday Salon will present an Earth Day Birthday celebration and awards event for WGRN 91.9 FM community radio on Saturday, April 13, 2024. WGRN will honor it’s “Producer of the Year,” Felice Thomas, and “Volunteer of the Year,” Board member Joe Keehner.

The doors will open at 5:30 with light refreshments, socializing and an awards ceremony. It is followed by a 7:00 PM concert by folk musician Tom Neilson. It is free and open to the public.

The celebration and awards event will be held in Beach Hall at the First Unitarian Universalist Church at 93 West Weisheimer Rd. in Columbus. For information, contact: spatzer1959@gmail.com.

WGRN is pleased to present the “Producer of the Year” award to Felice Thomas, one the first local producers to join the station. Her program has run on WGRN since 2016 and she has been a tremendous supporter of the community radio station.

As the President and CEO of the Faith Thomas Foundation (FTF), Felice is the driving force of the organization which is dedicated to raising Sickle Cell Awareness in memory of her daughter Faith Thomas who died at 11 years of age in 2002 due to complications with sickle cell disease.

Felice is the host of the foundation’s radio show “The Cell” where she leads the discussion regarding sickle cell and connects also to local, state, and national organizations about the services and programs they provide to the Columbus community. She is also instrumental in connecting with community partners to ensure that people are educated through FTF’s community health fairs.

She currently serves on the Globin Regional Data and Discovery Community Advisory Board, OSU’s Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute Sickle Cell Patient/Family Advisory Council, the Ohio Sickle Cell Health Association, the American Red Cross Diversity Leadership Council and on the Versiti Ohio Community Advisory Board.

The Faith Thomas Foundation was formed in June 2013 by individuals whose lives have been personally impacted by sickle cell disease. In 2016, we became committed to educating the community about sickle cell disease and became involved in other community events. By 2017, the Faith Thomas Foundation became committed to developing programs to further raise awareness about sickle cell disease by hosting our own community programs and events. The Faith Thomas Foundation has been designated as a Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity since June 2018.

The Faith Thomas Foundation raises funds and awareness to benefit and provide support to the transitional program between Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center-James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute to improve the care of patients as they transition from childhood to adulthood. This transition program will provide services that will make for a seamless transition.