|
Providing healing and hope to underinsured and uninsured persons |
|
Newsletter for |
|
FREE CLINIC CELEBRATES 20 YEARS! The Free Clinic held its major 20th Anniversary Gala Dinner at the Academy of Fine Arts on Friday evening, November 2. Highlights of the event were remarks from Delegate Shannon Valentine, Dinner by Cook's Alley, music performed by pianist, Naomi Amos, and awards presented to twenty-year volunteers. Those presented with Free Clinic stadium blankets and 20 year pins for their twenty years of volunteer service to the clinic were:
If you have volunteered for twenty years and your name is NOT on this list, please contact Bob Barlow at the clinic. Events held earlier this year to celebrate the 20th Anniversary year included the following. A dinner and meeting of former and current members of the Board of Directors was held at Westminster Presbyterian Church on May 17 to commemorate the founding meeting there on May 15, 1987. A Patient Celebration occurred at the Free Clinic on Monday, September 15 to highlight the first patient visits on September 15, 1987. In August, September, and October, there were 20th Anniversary receptions for patients, donors, and other supporters held at sites in Amherst, Bedford and Campbell Counties. As part of the 20th Anniversary effort, The FCCV is trying to raise its endowment by $200,000. In order to accomplish this goal, it has been asking supporters to increase their regular annual support by $20, $200, or even $2,000. The endowment interest will be used to assist with operating costs, but the principal will remain in tact. Endowment Fund donors’ names will be placed on appropriate permanent signage in the Elizabeth Forsyth entryway of the Free Clinic. |
||
|
CVCC TO PARTNER WITH FCCV President Darrell Staat of Central Virginia Community College (CVCC) and Robert Barlow, Executive Director of the Free Clinic of Central Virginia (FCCV) have announced a partnership for a new dental hygienist educational program, which will start in Fall 2008. The Commonwealth of Virginia program has approved the program, and the "startup" funds are being provided by a $250,000 Tobacco Grant to CVCC from the state. CVCC will build a dental hygiene lab next to the Greg Sheehan Arthur Dental Suite on the middle floor of the Free Clinic in early 2008. The construction will be scheduled so that it does not affect the Free Clinic's current operating schedule for its dental services. CVCC will also purchase new dental hygiene instruments and equipment for all six of the Free Clinic's dental operatories. The FCCV will provide the space for the lab, patients for the student interns to see, as well as provide times for the students to work in the lab. The program will be very competitive with 12 students being granted admission for the first academic year in 2008-2009. According to retiring Dean of Allied Sciences, Will Sandidge, an interest meeting at the community college earlier this year was attended by 31 participants. This is simply another way that the Free Clinic is combining forces with another local program to increase its services to needy Central Virginians. |
||
|
LAIFA - GOLF TOURNAMENT The fourth annual Lynchburg Association of Investment and Financial Advisors (L.A.I..F.A,) Golf Tournament to raise funds for the Free Clinic was held on Friday, October 12 a London Downs Golf Course. Co-winners of the first flight were Angie Arthur's team of Bill Hobbs, Neville Rowland, and Jess Crumbley AND Jo Todd, Becky Hawkins, Helen Fennybaugh, and Marie Winks (Ageless Wonders) with 52s. Dr. Bill Riley's team with Bill Jr, Mike, and Jeff Riley came in a close third with a 53. The Bill Scudder team won the second flight with a 60 followed by the Barlow-Connors team with a 63. Over $5,000 was raised from the event to support the clinic's yearly operating costs. Hole sponsors included: Colonial Brokerage House, Bill Brown Agency, Ward Dean Agency, Dean Nuckles Agency, Michael’s Carpet World, and George Cooper (State Farm). Team Sponsors were: Dr. Angelo Arthur, Dr. William Riley, Dr. David Polk, Anne & Bob Barlow AND Tom & Jocelyn Connors, Dr. Bill Scudder, Jo Todd AND Becky Hawkins, Colonial Brokerage House, Dean Nuckles Agency, Warren Otey Agency, Todd Crosswhite (Met Life), George Caylor, and Bill Scudder. Food and gift sponsors were: Depot Grill (Lunch), Frito-Lay (snacks), Dave’s Dawgs, Pepsi, Wintergreen Resort (two greens fee passes for four persons each); London Downs, Poplar Forest, and Ivy Hill as well as a number of local restaurants. It is anticipated that a Fifth Annual event will be scheduled in 2008. Get your clubs ready now! |
||
|
VHCF GRANT AWARDED The Free Clinic has been awarded a $13,000 RX Relief continuation grant
by the Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF), which will cover the period
of October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2008. These funds have allowed the Free
Clinic of Central Virginia to operate a MedsHelp Satellite Office in the
City of Bedford as well as provide limited outreach services to other
Central Virginia communities. The funds are used for a 20 hour per week
Medication Access Caseworker, Jamie Moorefield, at the Bedford |
||
|
CITY MARKET LOFTS FUNDRAISER Kathy George, Manager of the City Market Lofts, coordinated a fundraising Restaurant/Music Festival to benefit the Free Clinic on Saturday, November 3. Music was provided by the Blue Newts and the James River Choir. Restaurants participating in the festivities included: Vines Wine Merchant and Cafe, Daddy Bim’s BBQ, La Plaza Alegre, Chicago on the James Pizzeria, Tutto Bene, Star Light Café, Manchu Pichu, Main Street Eatery, and DISH. The Festival provided the opportunity for interested persons to tour inside this new facility and financially support the Free Clinic at the same time. A total of $1,300 was raised from the admission fees and a 50-50 raffle to help provide more services at the clinic. |
||
|
PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE CLINIC Over the past few months, there have been a number of physical improvements completed at the Free Clinic. Privacy walls were erected in the front office area to reduce the noise level. In order to increase confidentiality and provide better service to FC patients, the FC has added a drinking fountain in the waiting room and a new patient restroom directly connected to the waiting room. Jeremy Rawlings of L.G. Flint Construction completed most of the work for these projects. All the new carpeting that was installed in January-February 2007 was thoroughly shampooed by Harvey's Cleaning Service in October. Tile floors will be stripped and refinished in the weeks ahead. The downstairs staff kitchen is slated for the installation of a permanent wall, and a door to the kitchen will be "put in" some time this winter. This will provide greater privacy and security for staff members eating at the clinic. Tom Hutchinson, formerly of Mills Heating and Air conditioning, will also be improving the heating and air conditioning systems to make them more energy efficient and "people friendly" on the middle and upper floors. Although these improvements are not glamorous or headline grabbing, they are necessary actions to maintain and improve the clinic facility and/or services to patients. |
||
|
TOM JONES DRUGS GIFTS Under the guidance of owners Bill and Jane Wingfield, Mike Roman, and Patt and Art Douglass, Tom Jones Drugs has made three recent major gifts to the Free Clinic. In September, they donated over $6,000 worth of medical, dental, and pharmaceutical supplies. In October, the clinic was advised of the donation of the telephone system, which is still being evaluated, but it will be a gift valued at another $6,000 to $7,000. This gift will replace a 15 line, 30 year old limited, "worn out" system that was installed "used" in 1992 with a five year old system with 30-40 lines and many more extra capabilities than the clinic's current system. Recently they “topped off” their donation with $12,000 worth of pharmaceutical medications. Their total donation to the Free Clinic will be around $25,000!!!!!! |
||
|
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT This "dynamic duo" has provided eligibility screening and interview services on Thursday mornings for five and four years respectively. Marian Stump started providing her volunteer talents in 2002. She rarely misses a day, and she even recruited her daughter, Katie, to serve as a temporary eligibility screener when she was home from school. Marian's first love is the Lynchburg area Girl Scouts, where she has worn every volunteer hat available. She and her husband, Phil, have lived in Lynchburg since1980 Peggy Berger arrived in Lynchburg in 2000 after retiring from a Professor position at a college in Colorado. She and her sister, Ida Powell, are heavily committed in the community. Peggy immediately got involved in the affairs of the United Methodist Church and the Free Clinic. Her first project was a toy box/children’s area for small children who must come To the clinic with their parents. She has served on the Board of Directors for three years and she is currently the Board Secretary. Both of these women have been reliable, thorough, responsible, and extraordinary! The Free Clinic appreciates them! |
||
|
STUDENTS JOIN CLINIC STAFF Three students from tow local colleges have joined the Free Clinic staff for the 2007-2008 academic year. They work at the clinic to earn their college work-study grant funds. Nicole Porter, a senior at Liberty University, from Springfield, VA has joined us for a second year. She does “double duty” as a trained dental assistant and a front office worker. Kayla Penley, an advanced standing freshman at Liberty and Nina Huss, a senior at Randolph College are serving as front office workers. They both started with us in September 2007. |
||
|
EDIE LIGHT TO THE RESCUE The Free Clinic was very fortunate to obtain the PT temporary services of
Edith "Edie" Light from September 15-November 8 as Special Events Assistant.
In this capacity she has assisted |
||
|
GRANTS $$$$$ COMING IN The Free Clinic is or will be the beneficiary of several grants from local or regional foundations. The Genworth Foundation is expected to donate a new $5,000 grant to continue to support of the Free Clinic’s Breast Health Education Program through September 2007. These funds guarantee that women patients can have a FREE mammogram. In November, the clinic will receive a renewed $10,000 grant from the Delta Dental Foundation in Roanoke to help maintain our daytime dental services in cooperation with student externs from the VCU School of Dentistry. Finally, in December, it is anticipated that the clinic will obtain another $10,000 grant from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Sheild to provide sipport for the clinic’s day-to-day operating expenses. |
||
|
FREE CLINIC VISITS THE COUNTIES This past fall, the Free Clinic has made “outreach” visits to four counties that it serves. Three of these were to host the 20th Anniversary Celebration Receptions and the last one was for a Health Fair. On August 26, Della Dudley of Dudley’s Family Restaurant in Madison Heights hosted over 100 persons for our anniversary celebration. This event raised $667 for the clinic through door donations and a 50-50 raffle. On September 28 and October 1 respectively, the Free Clinic also held anniversary celebration receptions at the Bedford Public Library in Forest and the Campbell County Public Library in Rustburg. These events, which were coordinated by Violet Stephens and Harriet Whitten, served to expand the visibility of the Clinic in those respective communities. On October 12, Board Member Chuck Haney and Staff member Sylvia Kent-Goodman traveled to St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Appomattox for their Health Fair. They got to “spread the word” about the Free Clinic and the MedsHelp program at this well attended event. |
||
|
FOOD LION RENEW TO SHOP AND SHARE You can help make a significant contribution to the Free Clinic with money you spend anyway! Go on-line to www.FoodLion.com and register (or renew) your MVP card to benefit the Free Clinic. The dollars you spend will be combined with those of others and a percentage will be sent to the Free Clinic every quarter. The only “hitch” is that at least 25 cards must be registered for us to benefit from this program, so please help ensure Free Clinic eligibility, even if you don’t always shop at Food Lion. If you don’t have internet access, you can register your card at any Food Lion store. Re-registration is needed each year, so please go back and ensure that your card is currently registered to benefit the Free Clinic. |
||
|
STAFF STUFFERS The following persons have recently provided food either on Tuesday-Thursday evenings and/or at other times in order to serve volunteers and staff members who work through their supper hour to serve patients at the clinic or to support a specific event or activity. These have included: Depot Grill; Frito-Lay; Tracy Baker, R.N.; Cindy McInteer, PharmD; Novartis - Kevin Gunnell; Carol Marcum Catering; Sepracor - Sharla Kvasnicka; Forest Mexican Restaurant; and the Peanut Company of Virginia. THANKS! If you would like to offer support in this way, please contact Bob Barlow or Jane Ayres at 847-5866. |
||
|
FOURTH ANNUAL DOWNTOWN LYNCHBURG To Benefit the Free Clinic of Central
Virginia NOTE: Approximately 50% of the Lofts will be handicapped accessible; they will be marked as such on the tickets and the maps.
|
||
|
DID YOU KNOW EVERY $1 DONATED to the FREE CLINIC in 2005 PROVIDED $8 in medical, dental, and/or pharmaceutical services to Central Virginians! |
||
|
PLEASE HELP The Free Clinic Needs Your Financial
Gifts. |
||
