Hundreds of volunteers to provide free medical, dental and vision care this weekend in Elgin
More than 400 volunteers will come together this weekend to provide free medical, dental and vision care as well as other resources to underserved people in greater Elgin.
The Heal Elgin Clinic will be held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 28 and 29, at Judson University, 1151 N State St. All services are free, and no identification is required.
The event is organized by the Heal Elgin Project with Remote Area Medical, a national provider of pop-up clinics. The groups are working in partnership with Judson University, Love Elgin and the city.
The Rev. Gabriel Bardan, who leads the Heal Elgin Project, said even after several years of holding the clinics, many people can't believe everything is offered for free with no need for any documentation.
"We get people from all over by the end of the day because the ones that were here in the morning call their friends and family and say, 'It's true. They didn't ask for any papers. They didn't ask for insurance,'" Bardan said.
He said that while some people who attend may have basic medical insurance, they generally have no dental or vision coverage, so that's where they put most of their resources.
"Our mission is to restore people's total well-being," Bardan said. "We feel humbled but also privileged that we can serve people in need."
The services will be provided at the Lindner Fitness Center at Judson on a first-come, first-served basis. Bardan said they were close to 600 patients last year.
All patients can take advantage of general medical services and then must choose between either dental or vision care.
Dental care will include needed X-rays, cleanings, fillings and extractions. The eye exams will include glaucoma testing and eyeglass prescriptions with glasses made for free on-site the same day.
Lifestyle counseling and nutritional help also will be available.
The patient parking lot will open by 12:01 a.m. on Saturday. As patients arrive, they will receive additional information regarding clinic opening processes and next steps.
The clinics open at 6 a.m. each day. Registration will close when the clinic reaches capacity, so organizers encourage anyone interested in services to arrive early.
"Our greatest satisfaction is to see the joy on those people's faces, to know that we fulfill the mission that was entrusted to us," Bardan said.
For more information, visit ramusa.org or call (865) 579-1530. Patients may also visit the clinic's Facebook event page at fb.me/e/16vfloPki.