When people ask me why I founded Green Country Free Clinic, I tell them I was actually called to do this. God called me to start the clinic, and I tried to say no a couple times, but God doesn’t take no very graciously.
In my next few blog posts, I’ll talk about how the clinic started in 1990, and invite any of you who have supported us or received our services to comment at the end of a post.
In 1990, our present waiting room didn't yet exist.
I want you to know that I thank and appreciate all of you, the doctors, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, nurses, all of our medical and non-medical volunteers, board members and our generous donors — those of you who give your time, compassion, skills and dollars to keep us going.
I rarely single out individuals by name for praise, because inevitably I will fail to mention another person who has given us just as much help. There are many hundreds of you, and simply not enough time to individually recognize you.
That is why I invite you to participate by adding comments to the end of this or any of our blog posts. You can share who you are and what you contributed or received from the clinic, how it has been important to you, or perhaps how we might improve.
My first exposure to a free medical clinic was in the 1970’s, when I was a nursing student working at a free clinic in Tulsa.
I was gaining valuable experience treating patients who otherwise couldn’t afford care, and learning how the clinic operated. There I also met my husband-to-be, Gerald Pribil, who was then a medical student volunteering.
I’ll write more about how Green Country Free Clinic started in my next post.