Hearts for the underserved honored at annual Women with Heart awards

Twelve Women with Heart were honored at the 3rd Annual Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) Luncheon held Feb. 6 at Florida Blue Conference Center. Each woman – Martha Baker, Vickie Cavey, Inger Geraghty, Virginia Hall, the Rev. Dr. Helen Jackson, Helga Langthon, Eleanor Lynch, Velma Monteiro-Tribble, Dr. Pamela Rama and Ellen Wiss – is already an outstanding community leader who has committed to be a VIM Ambassador throughout 2019.

In addition, VIM honored Sherry Magill, Ph.D., with its annual “Heart of Gold” award in recognition of her many years of serving the Jacksonville community in many capacities, including her tenure as president and executive director of the Jessie Ball duPont Fund from 193 to 2018.

Hosted by Mary Baer, WJXT news co-anchor, the luncheon featured a special video by Dr. George H. Dorion, whose family has been involved with Bacardi Corporation for seven generations, and who supports Volunteers in Medicine as well as St. Vincent’s Healthcare, Gabriel House of Care and Farm Share.

The VIM-Jax Clinic is modeled after the original VIM founded in Hilton Head, South Carolina in 1994 by retired physician, Dr. Jack B. McConnell. Since then, VIM models have sprung up in cities across the country. Founded in 2002 by Dr. Jim Burt and Dottie Dorion, R.N., with their doors opening in 2003, Vim-Jax annually serves more than 1,600 of the approximately 120,000 working uninsured in Duval County.

Manned by active and retired physicians, nurses, medical and non-medical volunteers, VIM is located at 41 E. Duval St. and serves a large downtown contingent, providing free diagnostic and therapeutic services for most medical conditions that do not require surgery.

For information on becoming a patient, donating your time as a medical professional, or donating funds to support services provided by VIM, call (904) 399-2766 or visit vim-jax.org.