|
The Guadalupe Free Clinic, opened in May by St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Colonial Beach, has already won a service award.
The clinic is staffed by volunteers including retired physician Helen Capone, a St. Elizabeth church member. |
By JESSICA ALLEN
Helping the uninsured is its own reward for the Rev. Jerome Magat.
But the parochial vicar at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Colonial Beach said it's an honor to receive recognition for that work.
The Knights of Columbus presented the 2005 International Service Award to the Guadalupe Free Clinic of Colonial Beach--which Magat established in May.
The prestigious award doesn't come with a cash prize, but is expected to boost fundraising efforts.
The clinic serves residents of Colonial Beach and Westmoreland County who live at or below the federal poverty line and have no health insurance.
Magat flew to Chicago this week with some friends and clinic volunteers to attend the Knights' convention and accept the award on behalf of the clinic.
"You don't do works with the apostles for awards," Magat said. "We aren't a well-known parish--the smallest in our parish--and, boom, before you know it we're in Chicago winning an award. This is very humbling."
Rita Woods, the director of non-medical volunteers, said the award means more than recognition. It also represents possible funding.
"It's great because the clinic is totally funded by private donations," she said. "When we apply for grants we can say we've received this honor."
When Magat was assigned to St. Elizabeth in October 2003, he assessed the community's needs and decided a free medical clinic topped the list.
The state considers the Northern Neck medically underserved and the area had difficulty keeping a doctor.
All three of Colonial Beach's doctors stopped practicing in town in December 2000. There was an eight-month stretch before Dr. Richard Dunn came in May 2000 and ran MediCorp's Colonial Beach Medical Center. But he moved last year to Warsaw.
Now, two doctors and a nurse practitioner rotate schedules to staff the Colonial Beach Medical Center on McKinney Boulevard.
Dr. Nizar Hussain is the full-time physician at Dominion Medical Center on Colonial Avenue in Colonial Beach. There is also a pediatrist.
The closest free clinic used to be the Lloyd F. Moss Free Clinic in Fredericksburg, some 40 miles west--but Westmoreland and Colonial Beach residents don't qualify for services because they live outside of its range.
Under Magat's leadership and the Catholic Diocese of Arlington's approval, parishioners converted an 80-year-old, two-story house on Irving Avenue into a clinic.
The name Guadalupe was chosen because "Our Lady of Guadalupe" is another title for the Virgin Mary in Mexico and Magat wanted to attract Hispanics to the clinic since they are most in need, he said.
The clinic, which is open only on Saturdays, is staffed by volunteers who see about 10 to 12 patients each session. Bilingual volunteers are especially needed as translators.
Magat, who is thrilled with the clinic so far, says faith is essential to its success.
"I don't think anyone really thought we could pull this off," he said. "It took a lot of prayer."
Those who are interested in volunteering should call Rita Woods at 804/214-9018.
To reach JESSICA ALLEN:
