Before 5.00 am on Saturday, families joined the sleepy crowds drifting toward the fence of the Wise County fairgrounds. Some had camped overnight, others were just arriving in the dark. The day before, more than 1,250 people from all over Appalachia showed up for free medical, dental and vision care.
Mornings at Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinics can be stressful. “There’s a limit to how many people can get in on a given day. Miss your chance, and you’re out of luck until next year. Hundreds were slowly gathering at the entrance, but the number system meant there was no need to jockey for position. You’d get in when they called yours. People were polite, quiet, expectant.”
Stan Brock, who founded the RAM program more than 30 years ago and wears an open-necked khaki shirt with epaulets like the host of a TV wildlife show, stood at the entrance and began calling numbers.
A Lions Club volunteer, Greg Hart from Winchester, worked the crowd, explaining the rules.
Ron McGrady said they’re grateful for the care. “This is a wonderful thing they’re doing. I hope they never stop,” he said. But then checked himself — it would be better, of course, if the family could afford insurance and didn’t have to wait in the dark for a free clinic.
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Source: The Washington Post, 22 July 2017