www.east.org 7 Thomas K. Duncan, DO, FACS Ventura County Medical Center EAST stands out in its approach to supporting the growth and development of up-and-coming surgeons. By encouraging committees that conduct cutting- edge research, EAST gives surgeons the opportunity to partake in meaningful PMGs and scientific statements that create worldwide changes in medicine. The atmosphere at each EAST Annual Scientific Assembly is relaxed yet impacted with thought-provoking papers and on-point discussions that offer day-to-day applicable conclusions. As a part of the EAST team that provides injury prevention outreach efforts to local communities at each year’s scientific assembly, I have seen our efforts grow from a handful of volunteers to a multidisciplinary team of over 50 over the past several years. Local communities have benefitted from distracted driving, law enforcement, and polysubstance abuse events to the most recent ‘Stop the Bleed’ training and active shooter event. My giving to EAST is done without hesitation as I realize that it benefits the entire trauma body in the long run. It is only through such giving measures that we will be able to continue the meaningful work that continues to be provided by EAST members. Robert D. Winfield, MD, FACS University of Kansas Medical Center When I attended my first EAST Annual Scientific Assembly in 2008, I was a research resident preparing to present in front of a national audience for the third time ever. I realized very early on that this group was different: people were dressed in Hawaiian shirts, there was a dodgeball tournament, and in the breakfast line each morning, prominent trauma surgeons were there with their children in tow. Over the next nine years, EAST has given me more than I could ever hope to repay: great clinical trauma education through the Annual Scientific Assembly and online resources; workshop training that aided me in my career as a surgeon-scientist; preparation for a career of service through a Leadership Development Workshop scholarship; and opportunities to engage in and lead EAST committees, most recently as the Chair of Research – Scholarship Committee. While I am unwaveringly grateful for these experiences, what makes EAST special for me is the atmosphere that I noticed during that first Annual Scientific Assembly. It felt like an extended family then, and this feeling only strengthens for me with each year that passes. For all of these reasons, I am proud to support the EAST Development Fund; I could never give back as much as I have received, but hopefully my contributions help support this outstanding organization in its critical mission of supporting young trauma surgeons. Donor Stories