Thursday, August 14, 2008

Belvoir volunteers help chamber, county schools

Spc. Eric Summers, NCDVC, takes the height and weight of a child at the back to school physical clinic.

About a dozen Fort Belvoir volunteers were part of a group of 100 people who gave their Saturday morning to help out Fairfax County Schools and the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce.

The group of volunteers consisted of public health representatives, doctors, nurses, social workers and others with no experience in the health field.
Bonnie Lilley, a retired social worker, was chairperson for this year’s Mount Vernon & Lee Districts Back to School Physical Clinic, a morning of free school physicals for children without health insurance.

“The event is such a benefit to the community,” Lilley said. “Often, kids aren’t able to attend the first day of school because their families have no money to pay for a physical, which is a requirement before they can be allowed in school. So, this event really helps out.

Bilingual volunteers served as interpreters in Spanish, Arabic, Urdu, Portuguese, Persian and American Sign Language. However, not every volunteer spoke a second language.

Families who use the services included a man who had traveled from Ethiopia just five days before the school physicals and a man from El Salvador who works at its embassy in Washington, D.C., but not for long enough to qualify for insurance. One of the escorts who works two jobs as a nurse grew up in Peru and lived part of her life in Argentina.

After they checked in, the elementary and Head Start students went through several stations for their physicals, including height and weight, hearing, vision, blood pressure check, time with a volunteer doctor and immunizations.

As the students checked out, they received donated backpacks full of new school supplies, bicycle helmets and a handful of books to take home with them.

Lt. Col. Lisa Winger of Belvoir’s Community Relations, one of the volunteers, said, “I thought it was very cool how, at the end of the event, a mother who used the service signed
up to volunteer for next year’s school physical event. That’s truly what it’s all about, perpetuating the help.”

Cynthia Stringfield, also from Community Relations, volunteered for her first time Saturday. “I really and genuinely enjoyed it. It confirmed to me how many people who don’t have health insurance, something we take for granted. Plus, it was fun to see the children be so proud and excited when they got their bike helmets and books.”

John Longtin, the chief of the Directorate of Information Management’s service management division, has volunteered for four or five years at the event. Longtin, who’s first language is Spanish, said, “It’s fun and a great way to spend a day. I get to spend time with some awesome people and help kids and their parents get what they need for
school. I’ll keep doing it as long as I know Spanish and as long as I can drive there,” the 56-year-old said.