Homesley & Wingo Law will host the 11th annual Blues & Burritos festival in downtown Mooresville Sept. 16 to aid HealthReach and Serenity House.

MOORESVILLE– Health Reach Community Clinic, a free clinic on East Statesville Avenue in Mooresville, has decided to close its free dental clinic. Meanwhile, the organization says it is in the process of seeking accreditation through the North Carolina Association of Free Clinics.

HeathReach Community Clinic provides free health care to low-income residents of Mooresville, Mount Mourne and Troutman. The clinic also offers free pharmacy prescriptions, education and chiropractic care. In 2010, the clinic recorded 5,000 patient visits and provided care to about 1,800 local residents, according to its 2010 annual report.

The clinic’s board recently voted to stop offering dental care. The decision followed a re-evaluation of the program by the board and staff, the clinic said in a note to supporters. “While there were a few dentists who were dedicated and active in our dental clinic, we did not have enough dentists who were excited and willing to help the number of patients we were trying to serve,” the announcement said.

In ending the dental practice, the board revised its mission statement to say: “We serve our community by offering health-related services to people who have no other health care options. Our purpose is to make a significant contribution to the well-being of our community by making a significant contribution to the health care of our friends and neighbors in need.”

Meanwhile, HealthReach is seeking accreditation from North Carolina Association of Free Clinics. Officials said last week they hope to submit an application “in the coming weeks.”

BLUES AND BURRITOS IN SEPT.

Homesley & Wingo Law will host the 11th annual “Blues & Burritos” fund-raiser for the clinic on Sept. 16, from 6-10 p.m., along South Main Street in Mooresville. Beverages by Foothills Brewing, burritos from Pueblo Grande. Music: Rusty Barkley and The Part-Time Blues Band, Pat “Mother Blues” Cohen, Robert Nesbit. Admission is free but donations to HealthReach and Serenity House will be encouraged.

(Serenity House is an end-of-life “comfort care” home on the grounds of Centre Presbyterian Church, Mooresville. See our July 20, 2011, article “Organizers pitch ‘comfort care’ as a new end-of-life option.”)

More information at www.lakenormanlaw.com

RELATED LINKS

HeathReach Community Clinic website

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Marti Readling Estes

MOORESVILLE – The 4th annual Marti Estes 5K will be held in downtown Mooresville Saturday, April 9, with proceeds benefiting Mooresville’s HealthReach Community Clinic as well as Mooresville Soup Kitchen and Mooresville Christian Mission.

The 5K course runs through downtown Mooresville. The race is inviting registrations from runners or walkers. They also need volunteers and are seeking sponsors. Info: http://me5k.com/

The event is held in memory of Marti Readling Estes, an avid runner and Mooresville resident who died in July 2005 while jogging in Mooresville. She was the daughter of Rodney and Betty Sue Readling of Davidson.

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The project is expected to create a more efficient workspace for HealthReach employees and volunteers, and allow it to serve a growing number of clients in need of free medical care, HealthReach says.

HealthReach Community Clinic provides free medical, dental, pharmaceutical, health education, counseling, and chiropractic services to residents of south Iredell County. Generally, these clients have no insurance, incomes below the federal poverty level, and no other health care options other than a free clinic or emergency room.

In 2010, the clinic had: 4,500 patient visits; 505 specialist referrals; 10,200 prescriptions filled/refilled (non-narcotic); and more than 4,700 volunteer hours donated by medical and dental professionals and other community volunteers.

More info: HealthReachclinic.org.

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