Clinic receives donation
Published 8:17 pm Saturday, July 12, 2014
Agricultural company Monsanto donated $2,500 to the Western Tidewater Free Clinic last week. From left are clinic Director of Development Ashley Greene, local farmer Rex Alphin, clinic Executive Director Miriam Beiler and Monsanto District Sales Manager Glenn Rountree.
The Western Tidewater Free Clinic received a $2,500 donation from agricultural company Monsanto this week through the America’s Farmers Grow Communities grant program.
By virtue of being one of the company’s top district sales managers, Glenn Rountree received a $2,500 donation to direct to a regional charity. After conferring with local farmers including Rex Alphin and Delores “DeeDee” Darden, both of whom have connections with the Western Tidewater Free Clinic, he chose to make the donation to the clinic.
“There’s a number of great organizations in the area, but the clinic has far-reaching effects in the whole area,” said Alphin, a farmer in Walters whose wife volunteers at the clinic.
Alphin noted that the clinic strives to help people prevent medical issues or manage them so they don’t become severe, rather than treating them only after they’re sick.
“They strive for prevention,” Alphin said. “It fills a big need in our community.”
Past donations by local farmers through the grant program have been made to the Salvation Army, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters and Suffolk Partnership for a Healthy Community.
“We are so excited and pleased to be chosen by Monsanto and Rex and DeeDee,” said Ashley Greene, director of development at the Western Tidewater Free Clinic.
She noted it takes approximately $125,000 a month to run the clinic. The donation by Monsanto will provide doctor’s visits for approximately 28 people.
“We’re glad we’re able to give this to the Western Tidewater Free Clinic,” said Monsanto’s Glenn Rountree.
The clinic provides medical, dental and mental health care to patients between the ages of 19 and 64 with no medical insurance who lie at or below twice the federal poverty level. Patients must be a resident of Suffolk or Franklin or Isle of Wight or Southampton counties.
Through America’s Farmers Grow Communities, farmers have been able to support a variety of groups, such as schools, fire departments, community centers and youth organizations like 4-H and FFA.
America’s Farmers Grow Communities launched in 2010, and has since donated more than $16 million to more than 6,500 nonprofit organizations across the country.
