Free, pop-up RAM clinic returning to Grundy, Va., Oct. 2

Sep. 28—GRUNDY, Va. — Remote Area Medical- RAM, a major nonprofit provider of pop-up clinics delivering free, quality dental, vision and medical care to underserved and uninsured individuals will return to Grundy, Va. on October 2 and 3 to provide free care.

This will be RAM's 19th clinic in Buchanan County, clinic officials said Monday in their announcement.

All RAM services are free, and no ID is required. Free dental, vision and medical services will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis, clinic officials said.

The two-day clinic, in collaboration with members from the local community, will be held at Riverview Elementary/ Middle School located at 27382 Riverside Dr. Grundy, Va. 24614.

"It's a privilege, honor, and blessing to serve the people of Grundy," said Community Host Group leader Frannie Milton. "Some have lost everything due to the pandemic and recent flooding in the area, so our goal is to alleviate some of their suffering by providing dental, medical, and vision care to those who need it."

Services available at the clinic will include dental cleanings, dental fillings, dental extractions, dental x-rays, eye exams, glaucoma testing, eyeglass prescriptions, eyeglasses made on-site, women's health exams, mammograms, Pap smears, Flu vaccines, COVID-19 vaccines, and general medical exams, clinic officials said.

Due to time constraints, patients should be prepared to choose between dental and vision services. Free medical services are offered in addition to dental or vision services to every patient attending the clinic.

The patient parking lot will open no later than 12:01 a.m midnight on Saturday, Oct. 2 and remain open. As patients arrive at the parking lot, they will be provided with additional information regarding clinic opening processes and next steps. Patients should be prepared with their own food, water, medicines, and clothing, when arriving early. Bathrooms will be provided.

Clinic doors open at 6 a.m on Saturday, Oct. 2. This process will repeat on Sunday, Oct. 3.

"Remote Area Medical is glad to be able to help bring free services to those in need in the Grundy community," said RAM CEO Jeff Eastman. "This has been a challenging time, and access to healthcare is more important than ever before. Thank you to all the volunteers who are coming to the free clinic to help those in need."

RAM encourages everyone who would like services, especially dental services, to arrive as early as possible. In some situations, such as inclement weather, volunteer cancellations, or other circumstances outside of RAM's control, the parking lot may open earlier or a smaller number of patients served. *Clinic closing time may vary based on each service area's daily capacity. Please check RAM's clinic FAQ page for more information.

In response to COVID-19, RAM has incorporated and developed new disinfecting and safety processes. All patients will be required to wear a face covering and must undergo a COVID-19 screening before entering the clinic. Guests and family members of patients, including pets, will not be allowed to enter the building. New air flow, disinfecting processes and capacity limitations have also been put in place to ensure the safety of patients, staff and volunteers.

Since RAM's founding in 1985, more than 863,000 individuals have received free services. RAM is still in need of general support for this clinic. Please email RAM's Volunteer Manager Mary Brown at marybrown@ramusa.org if you are interested in volunteering at this event. For more information about volunteering at a RAM pop-up medical clinic in the future or to donate, visit www.ramusa.org or call 865-579-1530.

RAM is a major nonprofit organization that operates pop-up clinics delivering free, quality, dental, vision, and medical services to underserved and uninsured individuals who do not have access to or cannot afford a doctor. Since RAM was founded in 1985, more than 173,000 volunteers —comprised of licensed dental, vision, and medical professionals, as well as general support staff — have treated more than 863,000 individuals delivering $174 million worth of free healthcare services. RAM has held clinics in locations such as Tennessee, Louisiana, Idaho, California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Guyana, Haiti and the Bahamas.