|
Providing healing and hope to the working poor |
|
Newsletter for |
|
On October 27th, Ms. Joan Preston, R.N, began work as the full-time Patient Care Coordinator at the Free Clinic. Ms. Preston has held a number of nursing positions in Charlottesville, Roanoke, and Lynchburg over the past twenty-five years. Most recently she was employed at Centra Health in the Pathways program (2002 –2003), as an Operating Room Nurse (1998-2001), and as a critical care nurse. Joan completed her BSN at Lynchburg College. We welcome Joan and her son and daughter to our Free Clinic family. Ms. Preston replaces Glenda Southall, R.N., who resigned “in order to pursue a position with more direct medical care”. We thank Ms. Southall for her genuine concern for Free Clinic patients and her four years of service to those who need care the most. |
||
|
PATIENT NUMBERS SHARPLY INCREASING As we assess where we have been in 2003, as well as where we are going in 2004, one thing is clearly evident. The number of patients being offered medical, dental, pharmaceutical, and educational services by the Free Clinic is steadily, if not dramatically, increasing. This is a direct reflection of the poor economy and the expansion of services being offered at the clinic. It will not “end” in 2004, or for that matter even in 2005, as the increase of individuals without health insurance of any type continues to mount in the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia. The actual increases in numbers at the Free Clinic of Central Virginia for the first nine months of 2003 (versus 2002) have been as follows:
As the number of individuals who need FC services increases, we continue to need your support – now more than ever – to meet the needs of those who are unable to access these services in Central Virginia. Please support us! *It should be noted that the dental patient figures are slightly skewed upward due to the introduction of the new daytime dental program on August 20, 2003. |
||
|
A TRIBUTE TO WILLIAM N. RILEY, D.D.S In the fall of 2002, Dr. William “Bill” Riley said if the FC got the dental interns and the money, he would recruit the local Central Virginia volunteer dentists. Bill Riley is a man of his word! We now have 25 Mentors/Professors. In the fall of 2003, the FC is now seeing 55-60 additional dental patients per week in its new daytime clinic in partnership with the VCU School of Dentistry (externs), Centra Health (overnight accommodations and food assistance), the Free Clinic (staffing) and the Virginia Health Care Foundation (funding support). What a difference this program is already making in the City of Lynchburg, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell Counties!!!!!!!! |
||
|
HOLIDAY “WISH LIST” If you have access to and/or wish to donate an in-kind gift to The Free Clinic for the Holidays, we currently could use any of the following:
|
||
|
ANTHEM DONATES $10,000 TO FREE CLINIC Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which is headquartered in Richmond, has announced another $10,000 donation to the Free Clinic. This contribution is to be used for the general operating expenses for the clinic. This is the third $10,000 grant awarded to this clinic since October 2002. Anthem has also donated 320 toothbrushes to our clinic in celebration of their 1,000,000 dental clients. Anthem has made donations of more than $6.5 million to free clinics in the Commonwealth of Virginia since 1992. In the year 2003, they will contribute over $500,000 toward the operations of Virginia’s free clinics. |
||
|
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT JAMES W. WRIGHT, M.D. Dr. James W. Wright began his volunteer stint at the Free Clinic in 1987 when the facility was still located in the basement of Westminster-Presbyterian Church. For sixteen years, and twice a month he has been a presence at the FC offering endocrinology care to our patients. He has spent many hours with some of his long-term patients. Jim also serves on the Free Clinic Board of Directors, as well as the Meds Help Board of Directors. He has been in a solo endocrinology private practice, was Chief Medical Director at GE Financial Assurance Company, and currently is a consultant in life underwriting. Jim, his wife Marty, and their children live in Lynchburg. THANK YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE!!! |
||
|
SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE CHARITY HOME TOUR A luncheon was held at the Radford Baptist Church in Moneta on November 14th, where the Free Clinic staff and Board were given a donation from The 2003 Smith Mountain Lake Gala Auction and Home Tour. Thanks to the wonderful lake residents who volunteered and the 178 awesome Free Clinic volunteers for their roles in helping raise such a fantastic amount of money ($20,000+) for health care for the uninsured needy in Central Virginia. Thank you for saying yes when called upon to give up a part of your weekend for us! |
||
|
STAFF AND CLINIC NEWS Over the summer months we added two new part-time staff members to our team of employees. Christy Burtner of Lynchburg, who volunteered for fifteen years at the FC, joined us as a paid Dental Assistant in July 2003. Ms. Burtner has worked in several Lynchburg area private practices since 1988. In her new position, she is coordinating the new daytime dental program, which is being conducted with the VCU School of Dentistry. Ella Cashwell of Amherst joined us after completing a Medical Assistant program at the National Business College in August 2003. Ms. Cashwell worked for many years at the Central Virginia Training Center and completed her internship from NBC at the Free Clinic. Jerry Mitchell is married to Katie Mitchell, a member of the Free Clinic Board of Directors. Jerry and Katie have 4 grandchildren. Jerry is retired from Wynn’s Inc. and loves to play golf when he has time away from his volunteer position as “Vice President of Construction” at the Free Clinic. This brings us to the point. Thanks to an excellent donation of cabinetry from Norcraft, Inc. - Star Mark Cabinetry in Forest and Jerry’s building skills; the Free Clinic now has a beautiful new kitchen and a new spacious, functional closet on the middle level of the clinic. THANKS Jerry for your EXCELLENT work! |
||
|
HELP US TURN YOUR OLD CELL PHONES INTO CASH The Free Clinic of Central Virginia, Inc. will be collecting old, used and inactive cell phones and batteries. (No accessories, chargers, etc) The Free Clinic will receive $25 for each phone collected. Won’t you help us? Please bring your old cell phones to 1016 Main St., Lynchburg, VA. |
||
|
FREE CLINIC COLLEGE VOLUNTEERS The Free Clinic has benefited greatly this fall from the work of a number of volunteers from area colleges. We would like to recognize the following for their work with us: University of Virginia:
Virginia Commonwealth University:
Randolph Macon Womens’ College:
National Business College:
Lynchburg College:
Liberty University:
|
||
|
CORPORATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS HELPING THE NEEDY As many of you are aware, we rely on the contributions of individuals, churches, and corporations in Central Virginia to help us “stay afloat” and “meet our financial ends”. Therefore, we would like to salute the following businesses and associations that have supported the work of the Free Clinic in 2002 and/or so far in 2003 (through October 31, 2003). Many of those listed are sponsors* of the James River/News and Advance Basketball Tournament, many give annual + financial donations and/or in-kind donations, and some give both annually and sponsor*+ our Tournament. WE THANK ALL OF YOU FOR GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF HEALTHCARE.
|
||
|
PLEASE HELP The Free Clinic Needs Your Financial
Gifts. |
||
