A small crowd, including prominent members of the community, met at the House of Flags in Columbus Sunday, March 18.

They met to learn about how The Free Clinics is helping Polk County’s most vulnerable residents live healthier lives.

After a brief tour of the House of Flags, led by co-host Joe Crowder, and a lunch catered by the local private chef, Patricia Compton, attendees heard Executive Director Judith Long talk about how The Free Clinics is serving the most vulnerable residents of both Polk and Henderson Counties.

“Thirteen percent of adults in Polk and Henderson Counties live in poverty; 20 percent of adults 18 to 64 years old have no health insurance; 34 percent live in households with incomes less than $34,000, and 1 in 5 of adults in both counties qualifies for care from The Free Clinics.

“Last year, 174 of Polk County’s most vulnerable residents accessed healthcare through The Free Clinics. Of those patients, 106 received specialty care.”

Long completed her talk with a plea for information about how The Free Clinics can best serve the most vulnerable residents of Polk County. She also asked for Polk County volunteers and for donors to invest donations in the work of The Free Clinics in Polk County.

The Free Clinics will hold its first Spring Garden Party fundraising event for its Polk County services on Sunday, May 20, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., at the Historic Mimosa Inn in Tryon.

For more information about all of The Free Clinics services available through their office in Columbus at the Polk Health Center, contact Jada Scruggs at 828-774-9129 or jscruggs@thefreeclinics.org, or visit www.thefreeclinics.org to learn more.

– Submitted by Mark Neville