The Remote Area Medical organization made its return to Coalfield School this Saturday morning for a free clinic for area residents who may not be able to afford the proper care they need.
The clinic was once again spearheaded by Coalfield alumni Olivia Hudson and her colleagues at Remote Area Medical.
“We see patients from all over the area and we have done fillings, extractions, cleanings, vision care, and check-ups, so we try to cover all our bases,” Hudson said.
RAM Director Brad Sands added, “We have hygiene and cleanings for dental services, extractions, and fillings. For vision, we are having glasses on site.”
Last year’s success has allowed Hudson and Remote Area Medical to ramp up their services. “We have more dentists, more personnel, and more volunteers this year and more focused care in other areas.”
Sands added, “It’s good old fashioned neighbors helping neighbors. We have health care services on site and good patient population that showed up on site for this clinic to help, and we are happy to help.”
The success of the clinic has not gone unnoticed by Hudson. “I think we have had a good turnout. People were maybe apprehensive at first, not knowing what it was. But in the first couple of years it has grown tremendously, so I am very pleased.”
Along with Remote Area Medical’s free clinical services, Second Harvest Food Bank was at the school, donating 200 boxes of food to area residents in need of food.
“That was due to RAM. RAM did all of the legwork there, so that was on their part (to bring them here).”
Hudson and her team at Remote Area Medical’s efforts have not gone unnoticed by prominent people in the area. “I think it’s great not just for the people in Coalfield, but for the county as well for people to get the services they need,” Morgan County Executive Brian Langley said. “Just taking a look around the room, and there are all these volunteers here that have donated their time today to help the people here in Coalfield and in Morgan County.”
Even with the hectic nature of Hudson being at the forefront of RAM’s yearly efforts in Coalfield, she still finds time to stay on top of her studies at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville. “It’s pretty tense sometimes, but I have a lot of help and support to do so.”
“What more can you say about Olivia Hudson and the job she’s done?” Langley said. “It’s a big deal to get the help people in Morgan County and the job Olivia has done at twenty years old, going to school, and being a full-time student that really wants to help her community. She is learning how to give back to her community and she is going to be, and already is, successful. What she is doing now is going to continue growing each and every year and she’ll look back fifteen and twenty years from now and not only will she see the benefits, but she will see the impact it has had on her community as well.”
Langley also had this to say to the people of Morgan County. “This is something that should be an annual event, and they hold it the first Saturday in December, and this will give people the help they need, and we appreciate the help everyone has come together to give to make this happen.”
