A benefit concert scheduled in mid-May to raise funds for a mobile medical clinic that serves Cumberland County had to be canceled due to the weather.
The goal was to raise money to assist with the purchase of a new clinic bus and to fund medical equipment and supplies, including medications, to better serve patients of St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, a mobile clinic that brings free primary medical services to the county twice a month.
Nonetheless — and despite the rain — the fundraiser was a complete success.
When word got out at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade that St. Mary’s Legacy Mobile Medical Clinic needed a new mobile clinic bus, their parish Social Action Ministry went into high gear. After all, St. Mary’s had been bringing their ministry of free medical care to the uninsured in Cumberland County since 2014.
“We were made aware that the Sisters of Mercy of Alma and many volunteers, doctors and nurses had recently extended their outreach to Crossville, using St. Alphonsus Parish as their base,” said Father Michael Woods, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi. “We wanted to help and encourage their tremendous charity to as many people as possible.”
The ministry set a May 17 date for the concert and acquired Fairfield Glade’s popular The Grove amphitheatre to host it. They reached out to all the churches, advertised to promote it, and offered a free concert with well-known Nashville band Soul Soup as the main attraction.
“Whenever Soul Soup plays here in Fairfield Glade, 1,000 to 1,500 people come out,” Woods said. “We were going to pass the hat and hoped to raise $10,000.”
Torrential downfalls that weekend, however, forced the concert’s cancellation. Not to be discouraged, the Social Action Ministry brought their cause to the parish congregation of St. Francis of Assisi that same weekend. They told the story of the clinic and the needs they have to continue their ministry, and received donations that far exceeded the $10,000 goal they had set for the fundraiser.
What at first seemed a great disappointment — months of planning and preparation that were canceled because of rain — was replaced with elation. More than $15,000 was raised for the clinic.
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic is a 40-foot fully equipped medical bus that has been traveling to Cumberland County for more than 10 years, setting up its mobile clinic in Crab Orchard.
This year they expanded to include Crossville and the clinic sets up at St. Alphonsus Church the fourth Tuesday of each month.
All services are free. It is funded solely by donations.
Patients are not charged for primary care medical services which may include laboratory work and medications. The clinic is staffed by the Sisters of Mercy from Alma, MI, who are licensed doctors and nurses, and they are assisted by area medical professional volunteers.
Go to www.smlcares.com or call 865-212-5570 for more information about the services offered by St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic or ways the community can help.