Dorren Brown, executive director of the Orange County Free Clinic, will be guest speaker at the club’s April 9 meeting.
The meeting will take place at Classroom II of the LOW Community Center. The program will start at 1:30 p.m. following a social time beginning at 1 p.m.
Brown has been executive director of the clinic since shortly after it first opened its doors in 2007. With more than 18 years of leadership, she has guided the organization from a small operation in space donated by the county Health Department serving 87 patients with an all-volunteer provider team to a vital health care facility with 13 paid staff and more than 4,500 patient visits each year.
Her career began in education, where she spent 31 years as a teacher and administrator. She taught U.S. history and drama before moving into school leadership as a principal.
The Orange County Free Clinic was established as a 501-C-3 non-profit organization to provide basic health care to qualifying adult individuals, those who are uninsured, underinsured and hae incomes at or below 300 percent of the federal proverty level. The idea for starting a free clinic in Orange County was inspired by a group of committed physicians and community leaders sensitive to the lack of accessible health care for uninsured low income residents in Orange County.
As a community based health care provider, the Orange County Free Clinic is supported by the Town of Orange, Orange County, Gordonsville Town and numerous community organizations, individuals, private foundations and grants and does not receive direct federal funding for operations.