Tri City Health Partnership looking to expand its space in St. Charles

In a span of 18 years, the Tri City Health Partnership in St. Charles has had volunteer medical staff help underserved residents in more than 30,000 office visits.

The organization provides free medical and dental care for residents without health insurance, providing a vital and compassionate service that can't be overstated.

But it can be overbooked, considering the current site has only one medical and one dental exam room. The place is in need of an expansion.

The small two-bedroom house from which Tri City Health Partnership operates at 318 Walnut St. provides an atmosphere that puts its patients at ease. So it's important for the organization to stay put, which is why it has started examining options for expansion.

"It is a very exciting time at the clinic," executive director Kim Lamansky said. "We are looking to add an additional medical exam room, expand the reception area, install an ADA handicap ramp and create a meeting room."

Such an expansion would allow "medical staff and volunteers to treat multiple patients at one time, and provide a much higher level of privacy for them," Lamansky said.

Currently, the clinic has city zoning clearance and grant requests out. McDowell Remodeling has been helping start the process of assessing needs, visualizing plans, estimating costs and projecting a timetable. If all goes as planned with grants and other particulars, work on the project could start in another month or so.

"Bob McDowell has generously volunteered to be the project manager of the expansion," Kamansky said. "And it is comforting to have someone like him on our side as we navigate this new journey."

But it's a journey Tri City Health Partnership wants to take without any type of public campaign or pressuring donors for funds.

"The clinic was very cognizant of the other nonprofits in the area doing capital campaign projects and fundraising," Kamansky said. "Knowing that the community is so giving and supportive, we did not want to take advantage of donors' generosity by asking for funding on a large scale."

The clinic's relationship with other social service organizations is critical, so there was no desire to step on others' toes.

"We felt it best to approach this campaign privately," Kamansky added. "Donor fatigue is a very real concern, and one we do not take lightly."

The other thing to not take lightly is that patients seeking help at the clinic are often unsure of the process. Walking into a small "home" for care that may soon be a little bigger can alleviate many concerns.

"From walking up the porch and entering the front door, to the warm smile of the receptionist, it is obvious that helping patients overcome the fear, anxiety and, at times, embarrassment is just as important as the care itself," Kamansky said.

Busy corner:

The northwest corner of State and Third streets in Geneva appears to be a fairly busy place these days, as The Retirement Network prepares to move into the 10 N. Third Street location, and signs are up in the former Perlman Fine Jewelry store spot indicating it is being marketed as a future retail spot.

It's always been that, from the Erday's men's clothing days, to the short stint of Kiss the Sky records shop and then Perlman Fine Jewelry.

In addition, right next to that spot along State Street, the Nobel House bar/restaurant is planning on expanding into the empty retail spots just to its west.

So, that key corner in downtown Geneva will have some new faces and places soon.

BBQ for funds:

The Geneva History Museum will expand a bit on Thursday, Sept. 12, when a large canopy will be set up in the open area just north of the museum at 113 S. Third St.

That's where the fifth annual BBQ at the Museum Fundraiser will take place from 6 to 9 p.m.

The event offers just about everything - buffet dinner, beer, wine, music, silent auction, wine pull and a "jewelry heist" sponsored by State Street Jewelers.

Fox River Distilling Company, Patten House and Stockholm's Brew Pub will sponsor the cash bar.

In addition to food, the museum plans to have video oral histories about the museum's archives, and the museum will be open to attendees.

Cost is $60 per person and $50 for museum members. Information is available at (630) 232-4951 or GenevaHistoryMuseum.org.

About those guns:

A couple of days after the senseless mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, a marketing postcard showed up in my mailbox. It was from a gun store in the area.

I would write this off as just a case of terrible timing. A promotion for guns and ammunition has never found its way to my mailbox before.

But there it was. And my reaction simply had to be, "Are you kidding?"

Floating in air:

My trips to Dairy Queen this summer have been somewhat limited, but I did make it to the Batavia DQ recently - and it had me floating in air like a cartoon character with a big smile on my face.

The love affair this time was with a Blizzard called the Peanut Butter Pie, with pieces of Snickers candy bar mixed in.

If not for fear of moving up into a different weight class, which wouldn't be a good idea at my age, I would have one of these at least a few times a week. Yep, it's that good.

dheun@sbcglobal.net