Co-Founders Dr. Jim Burt and Dottie Dorion, RN
"For several years I had been doing a Kayak for Charity race with a good friend of mine on Hilton Head Island. The charity beneficiary was Volunteers in Medicine on Hilton Head. After several years of participation I met the founder, Dr. Jack McConnell , a retired physician. He came up with the idea after picking up several local workman walking to work and in conversation with them he asked about their medical care. They had none. He then decided to take retired physicians, nurses and volunteers and put them to work in a clinic to give medical care. After all, retired physicians can spend just so much time on the golf course and since many are retiring at an earlier age they want to continue in their professions in a meaningful way.
I kept thinking if H.H. needed a program like that so did Jacksonville. I also liked their Vision Statement which goes like this:
'May we have eyes to see those rendered invisible and excluded,
open arms and hearts to reach out and include them, healing hands
to touch their lives with love, and in the process, heal ourselves.'
When I attended a social function for Community Connections in 2001 and was talking with Mary Burt, my fellow board member, she introduced me to her recently retired M.D. husband, Jim Burt. I asked Jim what he planned to do in retirement and and then I told him about V.I.M. Jim responded, ' I had planned to do something just like that but didn’t know exactly how.' I am convinced that this was DIVINE INTERVENTION.
We begin to explore possible VIM locations and come upon the old Paulus Music Building on Ocean and Duval. Many of you may remember this building as many of our kids went there to pursue guitar and other music? Well, the building had been vacated for years and it was in a deplorable state. When I made my first visit there it was raining and I had to open my umbrella inside to stay dry as the rain was pouring in through holes in the roof. When they asked what I thought of the building, I said, “Tear it down.” However, shortly thereafter at a newly formed board meeting, a man came rolling through the door in his wheelchair and introduced himself as Wes Westmoreland of Jaguar Builders. He had heard about our project through Gene Zimmerman, Methodist minister, and wanted to be the contractor on V.I.M. without charge. This was truly a miracle followed by an outpouring of generous donations both inkind and cash. For example: Kim Sutton of Rink, Reynolds etc. happened to be driving by the building, saw the phone number, called us and became our interior designer. We are certain she called in all her I.O.U’s from everyone. She did the quality look- like wood floors, wallcoverings, tile etc. There were some old chairs being put out for garbage pickup and Hugo’s Design took all of them, recovered them and they are now a beautiful addition to our waiting room. Louis Pecci, of Design Factory donated graphics, signage, children’s room decoration etc. St. Vincent Hospital donated exam tables and medical equipment. The Rotary Club gave us the roof. Original paintings adorn the walls - all donated. This list goes on and on and we are truly overwhelmed by the generosity of people in this City.
Another scene was taking place outside the building and that had to do with liability coverage for our medical volunteers. We could not ask doctors or other medical persons to volunteer with us unless they were covered because that could jeopardize their retirement etc. It took almost a year to secure a good policy and Jim Burt tirelessly pursued that goal.
In September ’03 we opened for business. We proceeded slowly
to make sure we had all the puzzle pieces in place and our volunteers
well trained. Every month since we opened we have increased our
patient load. It is estimated that there are 120,000 working uninsured
in Jacksonville. Jeff will give you more on statistics.
We are so privileged to work at V.I.M. The love and excellent
medical care our patients receive testify to this. They also receive most of their medicines free, laboratory services, X-ray, mammography and specialist services as needed. Many of these services were funded through grants and foundations. When John Peyton visited V.I.M. he said,” this is nicer than his doctor’s office.”And, if he was our patient his waiting time was none or short and the doctor could spend as much time as needed with him. Our volunteers are the heart and soul of V.I.M. Our patients are special gifts to all of us. Let me tell you about them.
One woman I knew worked at a local gift store. I had seen her
over several years. She was a single Mom with two children. One day
while in the store she appeared at the counter near tears. She couldn’t afford to have a needed mammography done since they now charged a separate fee for each breast. She came to the clinic, had the mammography done, got medicine for her nebulizer, had routine blood work done, a pap smear, and can attend our clinic for asthmatics. Another woman, a chef in a local restaurant, had a serious skin rash. She was about to lose her job because of it. By word of mouth, that’s how most patients hear of us, she came to The Clinic and was treated by our dermatologist and is now rash free and happily working.
One day when I was walking through the waiting room on my way to a meeting upstairs, a little elderly lady came out of the examine room area in tears. I immediately asked her “ if she was O.K.?” She said she was crying because she was so happy. This was the first time in 40 years she had been able to see a doctor.
In closing I repeat a remark made by a nurse at Hilton Head V.I.M., 'This is the hardest work you will ever love.'"
Dottie Dorion 10 May 2006
VIM Opening September 2003. From left to right: Mayor Peyton, Dr. Jack McConnell, Dr. Pam Chally, Dr.C.B. McIntosh, Dottie Dorion, Dr. Jim Burt.