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Providing healing and hope to underinsured and uninsured persons |
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Newsletter for |
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THE PERFECT GIFT In this holiday season, are there current or past family members, friends, neighbors, and/or colleagues that you would like to recognize in a very special way? Consider a meaningful gift to the Free Clinic in honor or memory of someone special in your life. Providing a gift to assist us in our work has become a valued tradition for many families. Long after other gifts and trinkets are used or forgotten, the gift of health care continues to improve quality of life for those who receive it. When you make a holiday gift to the Free Clinic, which includes MedsHelp, the Breast Health Education Program, and the highly successful Daytime Dental Clinics, we will send a colorful greeting to the person in whose honor it was made, or to a family member of the one in whose memory it was made. Just write "holiday gift" on your response envelope, or use the enclosed form. Please send a list of people to be honored and/or memorialized, making sure to include all name and address information. May the knowledge that you have had a part in making the work of the Free Clinic possible, make your holiday celebration even more blessed. Please support our work in your community. Robert "Bob" Barlow |
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CENTRA HEALTH FOUNDATION FUNDS DENTAL EXPANSION Abigail Haney, President of the Free Clinic's Board of Directors, is pleased to announce that the Centra Health Foundation has agreed to fund the equipment portion of the planned expansion of the Free Clinic's dental facilities. This funding will total $100,000 and will be used for new chairs and other related equipment. The complete expansion itself will involve the addition of three operatories (chairs) to the current three operatories, which will be remodeled. It will also include proper office spaces and dental services area with a positive "traffic flow". It will also include new equipment and stations for sterilization, x-ray development, and panorex x-ray machine. For the past three years the Free Clinic has been limited to just over 2,000 patient visits per year. These improvements will enable the clinic to double its number of visits to as many as 4,000 in FY 2006-2007. It will also provide the basis for expanding the types of dental services that will be offered at the clinic. This additional partnership between Central Virginia' Primary Health Care Provider, Centra Health, and the Free Clinic will result in better treatment for the uninsured and the underinsured citizens of this area. It will also further cement the partnerships between the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry and 50-60 local dentists who now volunteer their services at the Free Clinic. |
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THANKS TO OUR FAITH COMMUNITY The Free Clinic is the beneficiary of regular and/or missionary support from many churches, church/synagogue groups in Central Virginia. Those congregations/faith groups, which have provided gifts in varying amounts to the Free Clinic/Meds Help at the Free Clinic since July 1, 2004, include the following:
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NEIGHBORS INVESTING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES One year ago, Executive Director Robert "Bob Barlow "opened" his mail and found a "surprise" $10,000 gift from Ms. Eleanor Taylor. He scratched his head and immediately telephoned her. He offered grateful THANKS and invited Ms. Taylor to visit the clinic. Ms. Taylor responded with modesty and said that it felt good to make a gift where it would impact HER community. Ms. Taylor, and her late husband, James D. Taylor were honored at a February 2005 event at the Free Clinic when the laboratory room (The LAB) was named for Mr. Taylor. Director Barlow "opened" his mail again in September 2005. To his pleasant surprise, there was a check for $20,000 labeled "2005 Gift" from none other than Ms. Taylor. This is a wonderful benefit Ms. Taylor is providing to the uninsured and underinsured residents of Lynchburg and Central Virginia. THANK YOU ELEANOR TAYLOR! |
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STAFF HIGHLIGHT
Ella Cashwell served as an intern from National Business College at the Free Clinic in the spring of 2003. In May of 2003, she was hired as a Certified Medical Assistant. Her role has expanded in the past year to include inventory of all medical supply gifts and maintaining the Free Clinic's medical supplies orders. Ella is an invaluable member of our team and we thank her for her dedication to the Free Clinic patients. She and her 16-year-old daughter, Stephanny live in Lynchburg. Another daughter, Shereta lives and works in North Carolina. |
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STAFF MEMBERS DEPART Recently, we have had to say farewell to two very valuable staff members, Georgia Delbridge, Special Events/Development Coordinator, and Christy Burtner, Daytime Dental Coordinator on November 18 and September 30 respectively. They will both remain with the clinic in other capacities: Georgia as a volunteer and Christy as a PT consultant and dental supply consultant. We will miss seeing them on a daily basis, but we are confident that their hearts are still with the Free Clinic. |
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NEW STAFF MEMBERS ARRIVE Ashley Milstead was hired on September 21 to become the Daytime Dental Assistant. Ashley worked for three years in the office of Drs. Holcomb, Savage, and Warwick, has a ten month old son, and lives in Lynchburg. Shelley Edwards arrived back in Lynchburg in the late summer from Indiana where she had attended college and worked as a department head at the Hancock County Public Library. We asked her to start work with us on Tuesday, October 4. At this time, she is cross-covering two or three positions at the clinic on a part-time basis. We are very fortunate to have both these capable women on the Free Clinic team |
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT Suzanne McNeely has volunteered with the MedsHelp at the Free Clinic Program for the past three years. In this role, she accesses medications on the internet, answers telephones, does filing, and provides general office services. Suzanne is a unique volunteer as she offers 15-20 hours per week in voluntary service. She was honored in May 2005 with the Free Clinic's layperson volunteer award, the Karen Goodwin Award. She is married to the Pastor of Peakland Baptist Church, Reverend Steve McNeely, and they have two adult children, Adam and Carol. |
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BREAST CANCER PROGRAM "UPDATE" The Free Clinic's Breast Health Project continues to serve the community effectively. In 2004-2005, the program met its goals/objectives. These included: 300 women educated about breast self-examination (achieved 512), 200 women taught breast examination (achieved 207?), 200 women having an annual mammogram (achieved 198), and providing follow-up support services to those with positive tests. The latter was accomplished 100% of the time for small numbers. Mid way through 2005-2006, the program is "on target" to achieve its increased goals/objectives for this operating year. These are 400 women educated about breast self-examination and 250 women each for breast examinations and annual mammograms. The Susan G. Komen Foundation with a $50,000 grant for 2004-2005 originally funded this program. Although this was reduced to $15,000 in the second year (2005-2006), the Free Clinic was fortunate to have Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield step in with a new $20,000 grant to provide continued, on-going support for the program. See the Fall 2005 Newsletter for a complete story on this grant. |
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IN MEMORIUM On October 31, the clinic lost a long time volunteer and dear friend, Ralph Kiger. Ralph always had a humorous story to tell and his laughter is still heard at the clinic. Ralph was retired from Rhone-Poulenc Pharmaceutical Company, and he had served as a Pharmacy volunteer since the "old" days of the clinic at Westminster-Presbyterian Church (1987-1992). Ralph and Bonnie, along with Ralph's brother Jim and sister-in-law Sandi are often found volunteering at our fundraising events. (Friday Cheers, Smith Mountain Lake Charity Home Tour) Sandi has been a long time volunteer in our front office. She serves as a screener twice a month at our evening clinic. The clinic family extends its sincere sympathy to all the Kiger family! (Son Richard his wife Anne, grandson Rhett, daughter Susan and daughter Karen and her husband John) We know that Ralph is playing golf somewhere. In February, we willhonor Ralph Kiger's memory by adding hisname and picture to the Free Clinic's Memory Wall. |
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LOFT TOUR FUNDRAISER On Saturday, February 25, 2006 (Inclement weather date -March 4), the Free Clinic will host its 2nd Annual Downtown Loft Tour. This event was highly successful in 2005 as 186 paid admissions and 35 unpaid volunteers toured the eight open lofts in the downtown area plus the Bluff Walk Hotel Project. Over $3,700 for the general operating budget of the Free Clinic was raised during this event. This year the tour will include at least six brand NEW lofts and possibly 1-3 "repeaters" from 2005. The time to tour will be increased from last year (10 AM-4 PM) and it will feature some brand new, unfurnished lofts available for rent. Several downtown restaurants will be "open" for both lunch and/or dinner during the tour. The goal is to raise at least $5,000 for the budget, and to increase the attendance to over 300 persons. A reception will be held at the Free Clinic from 4PM -6PM at the end of the day. Several presentations will be made at this culminating event. |
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ELEVATOR COMPLETED It was reported in an earlier newsletter this year that the Free Clinic was getting a new elevator in order to make all three floors of the clinic handicapped accessible. With funding of almost $75,000 from the Lynchburg City Council's Community Development Building Grant Funds, the project was completed in July 2005 by Robertson Construction. This improvement allows the MedsHelp Program, which moved into the clinic in October 2004, and future expanded programs to be satisfactorily accommodated on the middle floor of the building. It also allows furniture and supplies to be moved more readily and efficiently between floors in the clinic. Special thanks go to Bob Flint, Free Clinic Board member and President of L.G. Flint Construction Inc., Jimmy Robertson, President of Robertson Construction, and Melva Walker, City of Lynchburg Grants Administrator for their expertise and guidance to help get this project accomplished |
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OUTREACH PROGRAM The Free Clinic of Central Virginia, Inc. regularly offers outreach programs in the community. The purposes of these programs are threefold: a) to provide free test and medical information to the community; b) to identify individuals who might benefit from Free Clinic services; and, c) to publicize the Free Clinic and its services to the general public. In calendar year 2004, we made direct/person contact with well over 1,000 persons by setting up out tent/booth at 15-16 locations in Central Virginia. We share medical and Free Clinic information and brochures with all of these people. At these events, we have also provided free medical testing/evaluations for 558 individuals. In 2005, we are again visiting 15-16 locations (see attached partial list). The tests given include blood pressure readings ($0 direct cost), breast self-exam ($0 direct cost); glucose tests ($3.27 each), cholesterol tests ($7.00 each), HIV/AIDS tests ($8.00), and referrals for free mammography tests ($100 each). We currently use the Free Clinic general operating budget to pay for these tests. A grant of $6,000 would enable the clinic to "charge back" these expenses to Outreach Programs rather than the general operating budget. |
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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
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UPCOMING EVENTS Free Clinic Basketball Tournament |
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PLEASE HELP The Free Clinic Needs Your Financial
Gifts. |
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