Sep. 20—A mobile wellness clinic made a stop Tuesday at Booker T. Washington Community Center for free community health checks and vaccines.
The state Department of Health’s mobile units bring medical care to local communities, especially those in rural areas, to people with limited access to health care or who cannot afford it.
Bobbie Smith, supervisor of the local mobile unit, serves a nine-county area.
“We are trying to fill gaps in communities and help people with basic health care issues,” she said. “We take blood pressures, do body checks, vaccines, and soon we hope to be doing cholesterol screenings. The machine is due any time.”
Valerie Toombs called the local Health Department about bringing the mobile unit to Booker T. Washington Community Center. In 2021, her 86-year-old father, Tommy Fitzpatrick, died of COVID-19.
“I decided when this happened I needed to do more in taking care of the community,” Toombs said.
Once a month, the mobile unit also goes nearby to the Marshallese community at New View Apartments with a nurse practitioner for primary care. The effort was organized by Terry Mote.
One of the women taking advantage of the screening on Tuesday was 93-year-old Helen Marie Jordan. She got a vaccine and did a blood pressure check. Jordan said for years she worked at Polly and Peggy’s restaurant on North Grand. She got a free ride to the mobile clinic with Enid Transfer, which is using a grant for free rides for those over 60 who are going to medical care or to community meals.
Jordan went from her medical check to inside the community center for lunch. Wheatheart Nutrition Program is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at the center, with lunch served 11-11:30 a.m. Samantha Bee heads up the program and has for more than four years.
“The only requirement is people sign up for lunch a day ahead so we know how much food we need,” Bee said.
Wheatheart Nutrition delivers meals to an average of 100 home-bound people and always need volunteers. Donations are welcome but not required.
Starting in October, Booker T. Washington Community Center will have bingo on Tuesdays and Thursdays, breakout Karaoke and other activities. Call (580) 603-2429 for food reservations or to volunteer. The mobile health units can be scheduled by calling Garfield County Health Department at (580) 233-0650.
Byrd is the education reporter for the Enid News & Eagle.
Have a question about this story? Do you see something we missed? Do you have a story idea for Suzie? Send an email to sbyrd@enidnews.com.
(c)2022 the Enid News & Eagle (Enid, Okla.)
Visit the Enid News & Eagle (Enid, Okla.) at www.enidnews.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Copyright 2022 Tribune Content Agency.
%20(2)%20(1).jpg "Global Lithium boardroom brawl continues")
Discussion about this post