A community that takes care of its own

takes care of its own

It is a grassroots effort at its best — a thought that became a reality.

Safe Harbor Free Clinic opened Friday evening to serve the health care needs of low-income and uninsured people living near and far from here.

The idea took flight following local pediatrician, Dr. Jimmy Grierson's, mission trip to the poverty stricken nation of Haiti where he donated his medical services with a team from Camano Chapel.

Others jumped on board the dream wagon in September 2008 to see where it would go, people like Pastor Mich Michl of Camano Chapel, Larry Weston, a retired AT&T sales executive, and many more. That wagon came to the end of the trail last week and opened the only free clinic, according to the state's Web site, near the I-5 corridor from Seattle to the Canadian border, in Stanwood. The clinic, located at the Stanwood/Camano Medical Center, 9631 269th Street NW, is open the first and third Fridays of the month, 6 - 9 p.m.

It's impressive that a small group of people could accomplish so much in such a short time, without large corporate backing.

As a community, Camano Island and Stanwood are known for raising funds for victims of accidents, fires, job losses and surgeries — not to mention money to find a cure for a multitude of diseases!

So, despite some the inconveniences of living here, where some residents still have 40 or more minutes to go before reaching their homes from Stanwood, it's the small town spirit that keeps many from choosing a location only five minutes from the neighborhood mall.

Providing for our neighbors' health care needs is one more reason to be proud we live here and call this community home.
Kelly Ruhoff
Editor