The Jackson/Ozark HCE has been certainly been making a difference around Altus. They’ve had 2 projects going at once. One was to donate supplies for the Altus Free Clinic. Jimmie Ewing, volunteer clinic coordinator was the guest speaker at the Oct. 28 meeting of the HCE. She received a generous donation of office copy paper and lots of ziplock bags for medications for the Free Clinic from the HCE.

To help inform the group, Ewing explained that the Free Clinic is capable of doing most things that can be performed at a doctor’s office, except invasive procedures. If people are very ill, they are sent to the Jackson County Memorial Hospital (JCMH) Emergency Room. Free x-rays and lab tests are done at JCMH for routine matters with a referral from the Free Clinic.

This is the sixth year in operation. They’ve had a total of 1281 clients who have made 4040 visits. The pharmacy has made up 15,804 prescriptions. The total cost saved to all of these Jackson County residents is approaching $1.5 million. The Free Clinic is open after the Health Department closes on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month, except in November and December, when it will be open the first and third Thursdays due to holidays. Doors open right after 5 p.m.

In addition to donating to the Altus Free Clinic, HCE decided to take up their second challenge for Make-A-Difference Day. They spearheaded a collection of paperback books for those in the Jackson County Jail. These books will be placed in their library to help fill some of the lonely hours there. Deputy Dennis Ratzlaff came to the meeting and picked up a large box of paperbacks to be delivered to the Jackson County Jail.

In 2008, an estimated 62 millions people volunteered for different projects all over our nation. To read about the events of 2009, go to makeadifference.com.