Community turning out for no-cost clinic at Lehr Arena

Community turning out for no-cost clinic at Lehr Arena

Word begins to spread about free health services

news@theeveningtimes.com

Some local community leaders turned out to get an update and a tour Friday morning of the no cost Greyhound Health and Wellness Clinic at the Academies of West Memphis Lehr Arena. Representatives from the West Memphis Chamber of Commerce and East Arkansas Family Health Center, and Steudlein Learning Center Medical took the VIP tour of the event.

Medical, dental and vision services are available to the public Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., through June 25. The department of Defense and the Delta Regional Authority brought the medical services together under the Innovative Readiness Training program (IRT).

Soldiers, sailors and airmen are on duty provide services to any resident in the region.

As word began to spread about the no-cost clinic the number of patients requesting services rose. According to public affairs officer Major Nathan Devoe of the Army Third Medical Corps the effort delivers more services each day. After four days services, medicine, and eye glasses delivered were valued just over $150,000.

“We have encountered and provided services to more than 1,200 people in the community during the first four days,” said Devoe.

“These services include medical, dental, optometry, blood pressure and cholesterol screenings, behavioral health, nutritional counseling.”

The spokesman pointed out the military’s mission to serve the public and provided a testimony about one woman’s need for to see an dentist and an eye doctor.

“The beauty of this program is the opportunity to engage the public which we are sworn to serve,” said Devoe. “I talked to a woman yesterday who had not seen a dentist in 15 years and hadn’t had a vision check in seven years.

She was grateful to receive these services at no cost.”

While the services are no cost to participants, there is an expense that the military manages and taxpayers bear. The three week event presents medical care for citizens and also training for military personnel.

“These services are not free, these are America’s tax dollars at work,” said Devoe. “It comes out of the money allocated to the Department of Defense for training.”

By John Rech