MEDIA
For Immediate Release
For further information contact:
Lisa Nowak
843-689-6612
lnowak@vimclinic.org
VAN LANDINGHAM ROTARY CLUB AWARDS VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE HILTON HEAD WITH FIRST INSTALLMENT OF $100,000 PLEDGE
The donation will go toward expansion of the Dental Clinic.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC (July 19, 2011) – Volunteers in Medicine Clinic (VIM) Hilton Head is the proud recipient a $27,448.05 check from the Van Landingham Rotary Club, the first installment of a $100,000 pledge made by the Club. The donation will assist VIM in relocating its current Dental Clinic to a separate building located behind the VIM Clinic. New, larger space is crucial in order for VIM to meet the growing demands within the community.
There is no access to affordable or free dental care in the greater Hilton Head area except for VIM. Dental insurance is virtually non-existent for this patient population and most patients cannot afford the cost of routine preventive dental care. While the new Dental Clinic will serve both adults and children, the need among children is the greatest. In 2010, VIM treated 1,876 pediatric patients. The new facility will enable VIM to increase children’s dental care by about 30% by adding two specially-equipped pediatric operatories.
Van Landingham Rotary Club’s generous pledge covers about one-third of what it will take to renovate the current space that will be used for the new Dental Clinic. VIM is scheduled to break ground and start renovations for the new Clinic later this summer, with the goal of treating patients by the end of November.
About Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head
Founded in 1993, Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head (VIM) was the first free clinic of its kind in the country. For the first time in history, retired doctors and nurses came together to voluntarily provide medical care for under-resourced individuals living or working on Hilton Head and Daufuskie Islands. VIM’s mission is to provide free medical, dental and mental health services to families and individuals who otherwise have no access to healthcare. Today, VIM Hilton Head is a national model, with more than 80 free clinics around the country operating under VIM’s established guidelines. For more information about VIM, visit www.vimclinic.org or www.facebook.com/vimclinic.
For Immediate Release
For further information contact:
Lisa Nowak
843-689-6612
lnowak@vimclinic.org
*NEW DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATIONS JOINS
THE VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE HILTON HEAD TEAM*
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC (July 14, 2011) – Volunteers in Medicine Clinic (VIM) has announced that Lisa Marie Nowak has been appointed Director of Development & Communications at the island’s free health care clinic.
Nowak comes to VIM after working for nearly seven years with PAWS Chicago, the largest No Kill animal shelter in Chicago. While there, she worked as the Director of Development and helped the organization grow from having a city-wide presence to being known on a national level. During her time with PAWS Chicago, Lisa was influential in raising more than $15 million through a capital campaign for a new Adoption Center; growing the special events department to more than $2.5 million in annual income for the organization; and working with national media such as The TODAY Show and Oprah herself to spread the word about PAWS Chicago. During these tough economic times, Lisa led a Development team that had the three most successful fundraising years to-date in the organization’s history.
Prior to working at PAWS Chicago, Lisa worked at multiple national PR agencies in Chicago and Los Angeles doing consumer marketing for clients such as Nestle, Sunkist and PepsiCo.
According to Nowak, she is excited to be on-board to help an organization so highly established and regarded within the community. “I’m thrilled to be on-board, and I look forward to partnering with, and getting to know this community to further VIM’s mission of helping those less fortunate.”
Of Nowak’s first orders of business is to build awareness and fundraising for a new Dental Clinic which will expand VIM’s current dental services and meet the overwhelming need within the community. VIM is scheduled to break ground and start renovations later this summer.
About Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head
Founded in 1993, Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head (VIM) was the first free clinic of its kind in the country. For the first time in history, retired doctors and nurses came together to voluntarily provide medical care for under-resourced individuals living or working on Hilton Head and Daufuskie Islands. VIM’s mission is to provide free medical, dental and mental health services to families and individuals who otherwise have no access to healthcare. Today, VIM Hilton Head is a national model, with more than 80 free clinics around the country operating under VIM’s established guidelines. For more information about VIM, visit www.vimclinic.org or www.facebook.com/vimclinic.
For Immediate Release
For further information contact:
Lisa Nowak
843.689.6612
lnowak@vimclinic.org
Lewis Wessell
President, Van Landingham Rotary
843.301.2803
lewwessell@hargray.com
VAN LANDINGHAM ROTARY CLUB TO RAISE FUNDS FOR EXPANSION OF CHILDREN’S DENTAL CLINIC AT VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC (January 4, 2011) – The Van Landingham Rotary Club on Hilton Head Island has committed to raise $100,000 over the next two years to expand the children’s dental clinic at Volunteers in Medicine.
For the past 17 years, the Van Landingham Rotary Club has raised funds at an annual television auction hosted by Sonny Dixon on Savannah-based WTOC-TV. This year’s event is scheduled for Sunday, February 27 from noon to 3 p.m.
The Van Landingham Rotary Club funding will assist VIM to relocating the entire dental unit within the clinic buildings to accommodate an expanded children’s dental program. The new facilities will enable the clinic to increase children’s dental care by about 30% by adding two specially-equipped pediatric operatories. Additional funds needed to complete the dental clinic move and expansion will be sought by VIM.
“Although 13% of the clinic’s patients are children, they represent one-third of all dental patients, or nearly 3,000 patient visits each year,” said Dr. Anthea Grogano, title.
“We are delighted that the VanLandingham Rotary will help us see and treat more children,” said Dr. Grogano. “The need for dental care in our community is so great and education is a huge part of our program.”
According to Dr. Grogano, many parents do not understand the basics of oral health care and it is not unusual to have a 3 or 4-year-old visit the dental clinic for the first time with their primary teeth rotted to the gum line.
Volunteers in Medicine treated 1,876 pediatric patients in the last year. The need for the children’s dental program has been growing dramatically. There is no access to affordable or free dental care in the greater Hilton Head area except for Volunteers in Medicine. Dental insurance is virtually non-existent for this patient population and most patients cannot afford the cost of routine preventive dental care.
The Ronald McDonald Health Care Van visits the Beaufort County schools on an annual rotation, providing only dental screening and prophylaxis for children in grades 1 to 6, with no treatment of dental disease offered. In fact, children needing dental care are referred to VIM.
“What really struck us is that the closest facility for reduced-cost dentistry is 28 miles away,” said Lew Wessell, president of the Vanlandingham Rotary Club.
The Rotary considered over 30 local organizations and visited 6 before selecting Volunteers in Medicine for their new project. Most recently, the club completed its $350,000 fundraising commitment to the Children’s Center on Hilton Head.
“We were impressed by immediate impact we could have on the children in our community and on VIM’s clear vision of the project,” said Wessell of the club’s selection of their next beneficiary. “We were already well aware of VIM’s importance to our community.”
Dental disease is the single most common chronic disease of childhood. The Surgeon General has reported that poor oral health and dental emergencies are the most frequent reasons for children’s absence at school. Early childhood tooth decay is the most common reason for a child to miss school in Beaufort County.
The children’s dental program at VIM currently includes 5 volunteer dentists, one full-time pediatric hygienist, 4 volunteer assistants, a dental coordinator and a full-time dental assistant. The program has three key components: preventative (dental hygiene), therapeutic treatment and education.
About Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head
Volunteers in Medicine was established on Hilton Head Island in 1993 and now provides free medical, dental, mental health, vision and prescription drug care for those residents of the community who live and or work on Hilton Head or Daufuskie Island, earn less than 200% of federal poverty levels and are underinsured or uninsured. In the last year, VIM has treated 13,900 patients in 35,000 patient visits and is the model for more than 70 free health clinics throughout the country. Funding is through grants and donations. VIM neither seeks nor accepts government support.
More than 600 volunteer retired physicians, nurses, dentists, chiropractors, social workers and lay persons manage 22 medical specialties and five disease management clinics for those patients with chronic disease such as diabetes and hypertension.
Volunteers in Medicine Clinic is located at 15 Northridge Drive. For information call 843.689.6612 or visit www.vimclinic.org.
