Ruth McCommon is quick to correct someone who asks her how she got the idea for The Healing Bridge Clinic.
“It wasn’t my idea,” the parish nurse at the First Baptist Church of Peachtree City, says. “It’s God’s idea.”
But, she goes on to add, God brought the idea to her attention eight years ago while she was at a convention for church health and wellness ministries.
“I heard a lady speak and she said ‘If you are not operating a free community clinic, then you are not doing what Jesus did.’ That really got to me,” McCommon said.
After eight years of effort, that dream has come to fruition this fall with the opening of the Healing Bridge Clinic in a building on the First Baptist Church of Peachtree City campus. The Healing Bridge Clinic provides free medical care to lower-income residents of Fayette, Coweta and south Fulton counties who do not have health insurance.
A ribbon-cutting was held at the clinic Sunday afternoon, with several hundred well-wishers and supporters coming out to tour the facilities, learn more about the work and enjoy refreshments.
The board of directors was established in July of last year, with Dr. Lisa Eichelberger as president, William Fountain as vice president, Regina King as treasurer, Sandra Poole as secretary, along with Sheila Colston, Ron Wildes, Anne Williams, Kathy Allgeier and Karen Stephens.
The project got a kick-start in April when the Fairburn Baptist Association came through with a $150,000 check. Through this money and donations, the Sunday School space was adapted for the medical clinic, and Michael Vogler was hired as clinic director and Maxine Richards as clinic assistant.
While located on the First Baptist Peachtree City campus, the Healing Bridge Clinic’s volunteers come from several area churches. While doctors, nurses and physician assistants donate time to provide the actual medical care, volunteers are still needed to help with the logistics of such an operation.
Right now, the Healing Bridge Clinic is open only on Thursdays from 4:30 to 8 p.m. The number of clients seen is steadily increasing, Eichelberger said. Last Thursday, they saw 23 people, the highest number yet.
The clinic provides routine, non-emergency care. Most of the clients are people with chronic ailments who simply couldn’t afford to visit the doctor for checkups, Colston said. Physicians try to limit prescribed medications to those that can be obtained for $4 at serval local pharmacies. They also tell clients about the free antibiotics that can be obtained at Publix.
Eichelberger told the crowd that volunteers are still needed, especially to attend to the non-medical needs of the clients. Many of the clients need help with finding jobs or housing and all spiritual support.
The Healing Bridge Clinic is at 215 Willowbend Road, Peachtree City. For more information, visit www.healingbridgeclinic.org or call (770) 681-0157.
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