The Leadership Columbia Class of 2012 celebrated the completion of their class project – the renovation of the Free Medical Clinic – last night with a ribbon cutting. To learn more about the class and their project click here.
To view all the photos, click here.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Set for May 16
COLUMBIA, S.C. – After four months of dedication, perseverance and teamwork, the Leadership Columbia (LC) Class of 2012 has completed renovations to the Free Medical Clinic, 1875 Harden St. A ribbon cutting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, 2012, to welcome the more than 10,000 clients who are treated each year at the clinic to the updated facility. The mission of the Free Medical Clinic is to provide quality healthcare at no cost to residents of the community who have no health insurance and cannot pay for such services.
Speakers include:
Ike McLeese, President & CEO | Columbia Chamber
Dennis Coker, Executive Director | Free Medical Clinic
Krisdee Foster, Chair | Leadership Columbia
Natalie Henderson, Class of 2012 | Leadership Columbia
Eunika Simmons, Class of 2012 | Leadership Columbia
The LC class selected the Free Medical Clinic as this year’s community service project with the goal of refurbishing the clinic and collecting needed supplies and funds to help the operation of the center. Renovations began Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012. Over the course of the project, the class has provided more than 1,500 hours of services, raised more than $12,000 for supplies and $30,000 for facility improvements. The class has also assisted the clinic in securing new community partnerships, suppliers and medical volunteers.
“We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of our Leadership Columbia class,” said Ike McLeese, president & CEO, Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce. “This project will have a tremendous impact on the community for years to come.”
In order to update the Free Medical Clinic, a comprehensive work plan was designed to include installation of new light fixtures, complete bathroom renovations, new flooring, HVAC installation, painting and furniture delivery. The class also updated the entranceway of the clinic with a new awning, safety rail and seating for waiting clients.
In-kind donations were critical to the success of the project. The LC Class of 2012 would like to thank the local businesses and community organizations that contributed their services, time and donations. Top contributors ($1,000+) include Rogers Townsend & Thomas, BB&T, 2nd, Wind Heating & Air, GMK, Lexington Medical Center, Carolina Wholesale Flooring, Ferguson, Chariot Ironworks, First Citizens, Carolina Event Consulting, Polliwogs, Excel Dryers and Specialty Woodwork.
The Class of 2012 will hold a wrap party concluding the event at Tin Roof in the Vista,1022 Senate St. For more information on this event, please visit http://lc12party.eventbrite.com/.
The journey of this project was documented through the Class of 2012 Facebook page and blog.
To learn more about the mission and work of the Free Medical Clinic, please visit their web page at www.freemedclinic.org.
To apply for the Leadership Columbia 2013 Class, click here.
About Leadership Columbia
Since its inception in 1973, Leadership Columbia has celebrated close to 1,600 graduates. The 10-month program includes monthly learning sessions, a class retreat, a group project and enrichment activities. Leadership Columbia encourages service learning with participants urged to apply their talents by becoming a part of professional associations, civic organizations, nonprofit boards and public commissions.
For more information on Leadership Columbia, visit www.columbiachamber.com/leadershipcolumbia.htm
Congratulations to Advanced Fertility & Reproductive Endocrinology Institute on their grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony!
Advanced Fertility has expanded its practice in order to offer patients dealing with infertility in the Southeast access to one of the newest and most technologically-advanced fertility clinics in the country. The full-service, advanced fertility center, offers regular, free informational seminars, welcomes patient calls for information as well as referrals from physicians.
Pictured L-R: Rich Kordus, Embryologist; Martin Elia, Operations Manager; Gail Whitman-Elia, MD; Florence Hightower, PhD
Congrats to Z Factor Dance & Fitness Studio on their grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony!
This new dance and fitness studio offers Zumba classes for all fitness levels, as well as Cardio Kick-Boxing, Yoga, Salsa, and Dance lessons for kids. With their morning and evening classes, Z Factor has a class for any busy schedule. For more information visit their Web site or call 803.419.9133.
Photo includes: owner, Valincia Borders, and her daughter, Laila Borders, as well as Zumba and Salsa instructor, Joel Rodriquez.
Fertility Specialist, Dr. Gail Whitman-Elia, Announces Opening Of Expanded Fertility Center, Advanced Fertility & Reproductive Endocrinology Institute, LLC
South Carolina residents now have access to the country’s newest and technologically-advanced fertility center with the opening of the expanded Advanced Fertility located in West Columbia.
The facility is designed for patient comfort and fertility results as medical director and founder, Dr. Whitman-Elia, continues to add to the thousands she’s assisted in achieving pregnancy.
With the new location, the institute expands from 5,400 square feet to 14,000 square feet. What does that mean for patients? Patients will find more services, more options, greater comfort, and, if indicated, access to two new clean room procedure suites optimized for fertility success. The institute’s new lab utilizes the latest in air filtration and environmental controls to ensure the best clinical lab setting for high-tech in-vitro and other fertility cases.
“Our mission, seven days a week, is to help our patients start or expand their families. We have the honor of working with men and women who have incredible love to offer a child and just need a little help to achieve their goals,” says Dr. Whitman-Elia. “We’re excited to offer this high level of state-of-the-art care to patients here in South Carolina, the remainder of the country and internationally.”
One out of seven couples will have some level of infertility. What many people don’t realize is how far therapies have come to help people overcome the many causes of infertility. Advanced Fertility’s new West Columbia institute will have the capacity to help a greater number of patients, even patients who may have been turned away by other fertility clinics.
In addition to large, new exam and treatment rooms, the facility includes its own meeting room for a continuation of Dr. Whitman-Elia’s popular free fertility seminars. The community may also monitor the institute’s website for other special events including, but not limited to, fertility mind and body seminars.
“With this new beautiful facility, our focus is expanding our role as one of the top fertility centers of choice in the Southeast while, at the same time, maintaining the personal, compassionate care for which we’re known,” states Whitman-Elia. “This new institute allows our team to bring this standard of care to an even greater number of patients to help them realize their dreams.”
The official ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour is scheduled for Wednesday, January 18th,1:00pm, at the new institute, 2324 Sunset Boulevard in West Columbia. The public is invited in both a celebration of this exciting, new, regional medical resource as well as a celebration of life.
For more information and for press inquiries, please contact Michael Burney at (803) 238-0300, mburney@doctorsedge.com, or contact the practice directly at (803) 939-1515 or abouknight@ivfwecare.com.
