York County Free Medical Clinic turns to golf to drive fund-raising goal

The York County Free Medical Clinic wants to crown the best male, female and senior golfers in York, Chester and Lancaster counties.

The clinic is holding a two-day tournament in September. On Sept. 25, the field will play at the Lancaster Golf Club. The next day they’ll tee it up at the Rock Hill Country Club.

The cost is $150 per player.

The principal tournament sponsor is Physicians Choice Laboratory Services of Rock Hill.

The tournament trophies are named for the area’s best golfers, said Mickey Beckham of the clinic. The men’s trophy is named in honor of Jimmy Rhea, late husband of former Rock Hill major Betty Jo Rhea.

The women’s trophy is named for Lucille Ray, one of the best women golfers to come from the region. Ray played in more than 20 United States Golf Association major tournaments including the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Open.

The senior’s trophy honors Whitey Adams, who has been playing golf for 59 years and was a club professional for 18 years.

The free medical clinic provides services to residents of York County between the ages of 18 to 64 who do not have health insurance or are not covered by Medicaid, Medicare or veteran’s benefits. As the name implies, clients are not billed for the clinic’s services.

Last year, the clinic served 442 patients, 194 of them new. The goal for 2015 is 530 patients.

The clinic offers a variety of health care programs: smoking cessation, mammograms, dental services, diabetic care and optometry.

The optometry and dental care were new for 2014, serving 69 and 226 patients, respectively.

The goal for optometry for 2015 is 12 to 15 patients per month and for dental, 20 to 25 patients per month.

Each year the clinic has raised about $500,000 – all from private donations – to fund its work, said Bob Thompson, chairman of clinic’s board.

“We provide health care where the health-care system doesn’t live,” Thompson said.

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 3:57 PM with the headline "York County Free Medical Clinic turns to golf to drive fund-raising goal."