The NOLA Network

08/04/2026

An AED can’t save a life if it’s locked inside a school building while the emergency is happening on the football field, baseball diamond, or at an away game.

That’s why, under the Smart Heart Act, schools must ensure AEDs are readily accessible where practices, games, and other athletic activities take place.

The NOLA Network works with schools to help strengthen cardiac emergency preparedness through:
⚡ AED readiness guidance
❤️ Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) support
🩺 CPR & AED training
🏫 Sudden Cardiac Arrest education

Because when every second counts, having the right equipment in the right place can make all the difference.

If your school needs support to implement the Smart Heart Act, we’re here to help.

📞 864-900-4488
🌐 www.thenolanetwork.org

08/01/2026

07/30/2026

❤️ Every heartbeat matters.

At The NOLA Network, our name stands for No Other Life Affected—and that’s more than a name. It’s our mission.

Through Keep the Beat: The Vari Benson SCA Prevention Project, we partner with schools, churches, athletic programs, and community organizations to provide low-cost preventive student heart screenings throughout South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Our goal is simple: identify hidden heart conditions before tragedy strikes, increase access to early detection, and help ensure no other life is affected by sudden cardiac arrest.

Interested in bringing heart screenings to your school or community?

📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.thenolanetwork.org

Together, we can protect more hearts, empower more families, and make sure every heartbeat matters.

❤️

07/29/2026

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Smiling Hearts: The Nick Blakely Foundation, we’ll be offering preventative heart screenings in Loganville, GA, this Saturday for no charge.

The family of Nick Blakely continues to work to honor his life & legacy by partnering with whoweplayfor & the_nola_network’s Keep The Beat project to ensure that Georgia student athletes have access to these preventative heart screenings. Sign up today & help us make sure no other life is affected by sudden cardiac arrest.

06/22/2026

✨ Save the Date ✨

Mark your calendars now for the event of the year! Join us for our Annual Keep the Beat Gala — an unforgettable evening of elegance, impact, and celebration. 🎭💜💚✨

Visit our website or join our newsletter for upcoming details about sponsorships, ticket sales, and silent auction previews coming soon!

📅 Saturday, February 27, 2027
📍 698 W South 4th St, Seneca, SC

This year’s masquerade affair will bring together community leaders, supporters, and friends for a night dedicated to keeping hearts beating and saving lives. ❤️

🌐 www.thenolanetwork.org

05/26/2026

As we say Happy (belated) Birthday! 🎉 we also want to introduce you to another member of our team.

We are excited to officially introduce Tamara Houston-Hamilton, LISW-CP-S, as our Clinical Director at The NOLA Network! Tamara’s partnership with The NOLA Network has spanned many years. After previously serving as our Board Chair, she now continues her impact by joining us as our clinical director.

Tamara oversees the design and implementation of our clinical services, helping ensure individuals and families receive compassionate, high-quality support during some of life’s most difficult moments. As a grief informed specialist, she understands our passion to support parents & communities who have lost someone to SCA. Her experience allowed us to design & implement programs to helping students and families navigate recent cardiac diagnoses, support recovery and broaden our offerings for therapeutic counseling services to the greater community— her leadership and expertise help strengthen every aspect of our mission.

Her private practice, Renewal Life Counseling, also serves as a valued referral partner for community members needing additional or extended care and support.

We are grateful for her heart, leadership, and continued commitment to the families and communities we serve. 💜

Please join us in wishing her a very Happy Belated Birthday & welcoming her to our team! 🎂✨

05/20/2026

Miss South Carolina Sarah Kay Wrenn is truly one of the most amazing individuals we’ve met. She’s been a tireless heart health advocate throughout our state & her work goes beyond the crown.

Her work with AHA in Greenville is inspiring & transformation. We’re so thankful to call her a friend & lucky to have her here in the upstate. We just wanted to take the time to spotlight her as one of our amazing partners & thank her for the work she’s doing to protect young hearts.

05/19/2026

Your mental health matters — and support is available. 💚

Recovery Bridges, an initiative of the NOLA Network, is now accepting new clients for mental health counseling and case management services.

✨ In-Person & Telehealth Appointments Available✨ Evidence-Based Counseling✨ Individualized Support✨ Compassionate Care

We believe healing should be accessible, which is why we offer:🧠 8 counseling sessions for just $40 total.

Whether you’re navigating stress, anxiety, grief, depression, life changes, or simply need someone to talk to, we’re here to help bridge the gap between struggle and healing.

📞 Contact us today for more information or to schedule an appointment:864-803-5660

05/08/2026

At The NOLA Network, we know that lasting impact happens when nonprofits, businesses, and community members work together toward a common goal. From supporting health initiatives to expanding access to lifesaving education and services, partnerships make the difference. That’s why we celebrate our partners & today, we want to highlight our partners & friends at the Oconee United Way.

Yesterday, members of our board & staff were so excited to celebrate with & honor United Way of Oconee County as they celebrate 60 years of Community partnership and collaboration. For 60 years, they have been bringing people, organizations, and resources together to strengthen our community. ❤️ We are very thankful for the organization & for their team—LaShauna, Allison, Jenna, & Dee, who make it happen. They’ve been doing the work with their programs as well as amplifying the impact of other individuals & organizations. We appreciate all they do & who they are. ❤️💜❤️💜 From our team to yours, thank you!

05/07/2026

Behind every screening, CPR demo, and community event is a team committed to protecting the next generation ❤️

Meet part of The NOLA Network outreach team: Jacory Benson & JD.

From working with students and families to connecting with schools and community organizations, they help bring our mission to life every day through education, outreach, and hands-on CPR instruction.

Whether they’re teaching students how to respond in an emergency or helping communities better understand heart health, their focus is always the same:➡️ Empowering youth.➡️ Building confidence.➡️ Saving lives through awareness and preparation.

Jacory brings the perspective of a lifelong athlete and coach, while JD combines outreach and mental health support to help meet youth where they are.

Together, they’re helping ensure more young people are informed, prepared, and supported—both on and off the field.

❤️ Because prevention starts with education.