MACKIE Magazine August-Sept Issue 4 Magazine May - June 2014 Issue 3 | Page 20

B ON THE L KOUT For Toni Henson Slade “I hope my last breath is taken while helping someone.” – Toni Toni is a native of Warner Robins, Georgia, where she resides with her wonderful husband, Lance, and their incredible 9-year-old son, Spencer! Lance is a pediatrician in Macon, Georgia, and Toni is the founder & chief executive officer of their charitable organization, “Project Giving, Inc,” which was birthed from Toni’s elementary school classroom 15 years ago. Project Giving is a 501©(3) non-profit organization who is passionately dedicated to “Building Bridges of Hope” for families throughout our communities in many various manners, but especially for those who are suffering from chronic medical illnesses. They “Build Bridges of Hope” by funding travel expenses to and from medical treatments (plane tickets, gas, food, & lodging), supplying mortgage/rental payments, providing for utility and electric bills, performing home renovations and make-overs, stocking pantries, cutting grass, as well as, many other unique and practical means of meeting a family’s needs. Lance and Toni are active triathletes, having traveled the country competing in numerous sprint triathlons, an Olympic triathlon, and 7 Half Ironman. Fourteen months after Toni suffered a fully ruptured Achilles Tendon and surgical repair, she completed The Memorial Hermann Full Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, & 26.2 mile run) in The Woodlands, Texas in May 2013!!! (Lance “Superman” Slade completed two Full Ironman competitions while Toni was in Achilles recovery!) Lance’s and Toni’s primary motivation for participating in the Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas 2013 was to raise funds for their charity! The “life verse” for their organization is, “Share One Another’s Burdens” (Galatians 6:1). Bearing the burden of plane tickets, mortgage payments, and home renovations are not cheap endeavors; therefore, it takes a tremendous amount of funding to be successfully operational and to “Build Bridges of Hope” for families who are battling for their lives. Toni is, also, an accomplished singer/songwriter and recording artist, having recorded three contemporary Christian CD’s! The first is entitled “You’ll Never Walk Alone;” the second, “Whatever It Takes,” and the third, “Given Away.” She has traveled all over the country engaging audiences of all shapes and sizes, from prominent conventions to the more intimate of venues. Lance and Toni, also, have a heart for world missions, especially medical missions, to third world countries such as Africa, Haiti, Mexico, Honduras, and South America. Toni taught elementary school for several years, educating kindergarten – 5th grade students in the field of music, as well as, teaching general education for self-contained 2nd & 4th students. She obtained her Bachelor of Liberal Arts Degree from Mercer University in the field of Communications and received her Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education from Georgia College and State University. Toni’s life’s purpose, passion, and devotion is to actively demonstrate