SouthEnders concert benefits Catherine Washburn Medical Association
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, July 11, 2017
By Gretchen Wing
Special to The Weekly
Who cares for the ones who care for us? The SouthEnders! This Saturday, July 15 at 7 p.m., the SouthEnders (a.k.a. Phil Paige, Gretchen Wing, Geoff Heard and Libby Valluzzi) present a concert in the Lopez Center to benefit the Catherine Washburn Medical Association. Folk, rock, pop and touches of gospel and bluegrass will have the audience swaying and singing along, all in the name of providing for our providers.
The community may not realize that, while Lopez voted to create a Public Hospital District to ensure the continued existence of its clinic, those taxes will be used to offset known and anticipated operating expenses—not expansion nor new equipment. CWMA Board Chair George LeBoutillier says, “The costs of the transition to UW Medicine as our Clinic operator were a significant debit to our reserves built up over the years, thanks to dedicated and supportive Lopezians and friends. Future equipment expenses will also impact our reserves. For example, Jay Priebe, Director of Primary Care for UW Medicine, advised me that when our X-ray breaks down, it will have to be replaced because, due to its age, parts are likely not available. Additional equipment will be necessary for the expanded Physical Therapy operation as well as some subsidy for its set-up and initial operating expenses.”
The advantages of the new UW partnership are many, including such efficiencies as tele-medicine, which will minimize off-island travel for a variety of cardiovascular and dermatological appointments; expanded clinic hours; electronic records, and enhanced referral services. Additionally, because of UW’s extensive recruiting network, they will provide our Clinic with much more management support than in the past. Lopezians will also now have access to specialists, and our Clinic’s medical supply chain will be stable with the advantage of bulk purchases.
Paige and Wing are Southender singer-songwriters who love sharing their original music, as well as popular tunes, with talented musician friends Heard (another Southender) and Valluzzi. Says Paige, “Our Clinic is a priceless resource, and we know the taxes won’t be collected till 2018. We just wanted to help support the transition, and have some fun in the process.”
LeBoutillier adds, “A benefit concert is a wonderful gift, and a demonstration of support for the medical and physical therapy services that are in such demand on Lopez. It also publicizes the ongoing need the Catherine Washburn Medical Association has for consistent funding from everybody in donations, big and small, in order to continue supporting the Clinic building and physical therapy facility and equipment.”
Tickets are by donation at the door. Please join this musical celebration of community support for the clinic we all rely on!
