Free clinic racing toward major fundraiser

STEUBENVILLE -- The Ohio Valley Health Center is hitting the racetrack for a horse racing-themed gala in April, raising funds to continue helping the medically underserved.

The OVHC's 18th-annual gala, "And They're Off! The Race for Hope, Health and Healing," promises to be an "unforgettable evening of elegance, spirited celebration and philanthropy," according to a release from the health center.

Taking inspiration from the Kentucky Derby, the gala will be held on April 28 at St. Florian Event Center in Wintersville. Festivities will commence with a champagne hour at 5 p.m., followed by dinner, a recognition program and a live auction.

Attendees at the formal event are encouraged to wear their "finest derby attire," including hats and bowties. Tickets are priced at $65 per person, and the deadline to purchase them is April 19. Individuals can secure a spot by visiting ovhealthcenter.org or calling (740) 283-2856.

Open since 2006, the OVHC is a nonprofit health care organization that serves medically uninsured or underinsured individuals in the Ohio Valley, regardless of their ability to pay. OVHC Executive Director Ann Quillen said the gala is a major fundraising event for the health center, drawing around 300 attendees yearly and providing a little more than a third of the OVHC's operational budget.

The other two-thirds of funding comes from grants and private donations, Quillen said, noting that the OVHC, which has an active patient base of 580, does not receive revenue from patient care and all of its medical providers are volunteers. Last year, she said, the OVHC provided almost $500,000 in medications for patients and filled more than 3,000 prescriptions out of its medication room.

That makes it important that the gala be a success to allow the OVHC to continue providing health care for the Ohio Valley's medically underserved, with funds going directly toward furthering patient services, planners explained.

"It all goes back to making our community aware of the Ohio Valley Health Center and the services we provide," Quillen said.

"This year's gala is about highlighting the strides we've made in fulfilling our mission. We're racing to expand our team of providers, broaden our patient base, enhance our programs and upgrade our equipment to offer even more comprehensive services. With each step forward, we're bringing hope, health and healing to our community."

The gala will honor individuals who have made substantial contributions to or have "gone the extra mile" for the OVHC, Quillen said. Recognized will be a medical volunteer of the year and a community partner of the year. Afterward, a patient will give a personal testimony about how the OVHC has positively affected, or even saved, his or her life.

The gala's 25-member planning committee has been busy preparing for the event, with save-the-date cards and sponsorship packages ready to be sent out in the next few weeks. On the committee's executive team are Betty Ferron; Alisa DelGuzzo, Capital Health Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers; Susan Tarr, A&B Sunset Pharmacy; Kate Sedgmer, Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce; Chris Orris, Valley Hospice; and committee chairs Rick and Rosann Trimmer.

Rosann Trimmer has been a nurse practitioner for 30 years, currently practicing with Trinity Health System's Dr. John Figel, and she volunteered as a medical provider at the OVHC for years. Even when Trimmer was unable to continue providing patient care, Quillen said, she continued to financially support the OVHC, spread awareness of it and served on its board of directors.

"Rosann and Rick Trimmer have been supporters of the health center," Quillen said. "We're so grateful that they're willing to serve as chairs for the events. We know that they believe strongly in the mission of the health center, and they love this community and want people to know that the health center is here to help those with medical needs."

Rosann Trimmer expressed gratitude for the OVHC employees and volunteers who do a "wonderful job to make a difference in the community." She said she loves serving patients who are in need, providing "accessible" and "quality" health care -- physician expertise, medications and testing -- to community members and improving their quality of life.

"We are a nonprofit organization," Trimmer said. "We are significantly dependent on our donations. Our gala is our biggest fundraiser, and we need the support of the community. I would really encourage everyone to come and support a wonderful cause, and -- even if they can't make it to the gala -- to feel free to make a monetary donation to help us do the good things that we do every day."