The event will be held in a new location – Rancho Simi Community Park in Simi Valley, CA  (Simi Valley, CA) August 17, 2021 – The Fourth Annual Fredrick Michael Gibson 5K/10K Run for Depression Awareness is slated for Saturday, October 16. The Run will be held in a new location this year at the Rancho Simi Community Park (also known as the Duck Park), at 1765 Royal Ave in Simi Valley, CA. Start time for the 5K/10K Run is 8:00 a.m., followed by the start of the 1K Kids Run at 9:30 a.m. The new location is ideal for runners of all levels, with its flat and fast course that aligns with the lovely Arroyo Simi Greenway. Runners will receive a free pancake breakfast donated and prepared by the Y’s Men; a program run by the Simi Valley Family YMCA. And, in keeping with tradition, a Kids 1K Run will be part of this event, and will include a fun and challenging obstacle course for them to interact with during their run. Lastly, a blood mobile will be on site collecting blood donations. The blood drive is open to participants and spectators as well. Registration for the Run is now open at www.freeclinicsv.com. Fees for the Run are as follows: Now through September 15 - $25 – 5K, $35 – 10K, $5 – 1K, beginning September 16 fees will increase by $5 … Kids Run fee will remain the same. Runners may also signup their dogs for a fee of $5. Want to participant from the comfort of your home? Sign up for the Virtual Run for $25. Each runner will receive a medal and a T-shirt. First, second, and third place awards will be given out for 12 age divisions, for men and women, plus an award for the over-all 5K and 10K winners. All proceeds from the event go directly to the Free Clinic of Simi Valley. The Clinic has been operating in Simi Valley for 50 years, providing medical, dental, family counseling and legal services. With COVID-19, mental health issues have been on the rise, specifically depression and people needing help coping with isolation. Now more than ever, the family counseling services offered by the Free Clinic are invaluable. The Fredrick Michael Gibson 5K/10K Run is in honor of Fredrick. The Run is also focused on building awareness in the community about depression and spreading the message of … Don’t Suffer in Silence. We Walk, We Run, We Heal. Together. “I never want another family to go through what I saw my sister’s family go through. The pain and heartache of losing someone to depression. If I can get the word out there to anyone who is suffering, and let them know someone is listening and cares, then I have done what I set out to do. Don’t suffer in silence,” said Karen Finmark, Run Coordinator (and Fredrick’s favorite Aunt). For more information about the Fredrick Michael Gibson 5K/10K Run contact Fred Bauermeister at 805-522-3733 or log onto the Free Clinic of Simi Valley website at www.freeclinicsv.com.
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 The Free Clinic of Simi Valley in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente serves as a training facility for resident physicians. This partnership was established in 2007, and thus far, 62 residents have participated in the training.
We are so proud to continue this training and are especially grateful to the many residents who have trained with us and volunteered their services. Say hello to our current resident physicians in training ... In the photo - from left to right: Resident Charlene Oh; 3rd Year Resident, Erin Adams, M.D.; Kaiser Attending, Shwesha Govia; Pre-med Student, Cameron Walker; and Pre-med Student, Brian Chilin.
On Monday, March 1, 1971, the Free Clinic of Simi Valley opened its doors and began providing medical services for those in need; and over the years services were expanded to include dental, legal, and family counseling. In a span of 50 years the Free Clinic has helped more than 400,000 patients and clients. On an annual basis, the Clinic provides services valued at approximately $750,000. It is thanks to the generosity of thousands of donors that the Clinic has been able to sustain this level of service over the last five decades to the community.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created hardships for so many families. Now more than ever, the Free Clinic’s role in the community is essential and in celebration of the 50 Year Anniversary we are launching our $50,000 for 50 Years Campaign. We are asking for your support in raising $50,000, which will cover the costs to provide help for more than 1,200 patients in one year. No donation is too small - $5, $50, $500, $1,000; and we are seeking donors willing to match donations dollar for dollar in amounts of $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 or larger. Donations can be made online at www.freeclinic.com/support-us or mail to: Free Clinic of Simi Valley $50,000 for 50 Years Campaign 2003 Royal Ave Simi Valley, CA 93065 To all of our loyal supporters – Thank You for “Saying Yes” for the last 50 years. KCLU's Lance Orozco sits down to discuss the Free Clinic of Simi Valley's 50th Anniversary with Free Clinic Executive Director, Fred Bauermeister. Transcript:
Lance Orozco (LO): Stan Frgacic was having a tough time. The simi valley man was hit by the loss of his job and his divorce which left him squeezed financially. Stan Frgacic (SF): I found myself out of a job. I found myself without insurance and I was on medication. I was on a statin for cholesterol. I was just like, you know what, I can't afford health insurance on my own. It's just way too expensive. I was just like [being] between a rock and a hard place. LO: There was a clinic in his neighborhood. It was the Free Clinic of Simi Valley. He wondered maybe it could help.  The Free Clinic of Simi Valley has been named the Non-Profit Organization of 2017 by the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Free Clinic received the inaugural award from the Chamber. "This is a wonderful recognition of the work that the Free Clinic has been doing in Simi Valley for over 45 years," said Fred Bauermeister, Clinic Executive Director.
In 2016, while celebrating its 45th Anniversary, the Free Clinic saw almost 4,000 individuals, equivalent to over 14,700 client contacts between its four service areas - medical, legal, counseling and dental. All of these services were provided through a network of over 160 mostly local volunteers and five staff members. The Dental Clinic is one of the only places in Southern California that provides free comprehensive dental services. The Clinic even has an in-home dental program for Seniors 60+. Many of the clients of the Free Clinic have nowhere else to go for help. The Clinic is a partner with Adventist Health Simi Valley in providing a health safety net for the community. The Free Clinic does not receive payments or reimbursements from Federal, State or Local government. The Free Clinic relies entirely on the generosity of individual donors, businesses, service clubs, churches and foundations. Moreover, the Free Clinic is not supported by any national parent corporation or foundation. The Free Clinic is proud to be the only Simi Valley based charity to achieve the level of GuideStar Exchange Gold Participant, a ranking for financial and ethical transparency among 501(c)(3) organizations. 2016 and 2017 were especially tough years for the Free Clinic due to the collapse of the long awaited "Under One Roof" project. Based on the driving force of the Free Clinic and its Board, the Free Clinic looks forward to the opening of the new "Multi-Services Center," which will not only allow the Clinic to combine its two facilities into one, providing greater efficiency in service delivery, but will also allow the expansion into services, such as optometry, while providing offices to seven additional Simi Valley charities. The Free Clinic will be feted at the 2018 Salute to Excellence Gala to be held Friday, January 26, 2018 from 6:00pm-10:00pm at The Vineyards, located at 2525 Stow St. The event will feature cocktails, dinner, dancing and casino games. Also being celebrated are:
RSVP for Gala: Click Here Full Nominating Statement for the Free Clinic of Simi Valley: The Free Clinic of Simi Valley has served the community since 1971. It currently provides individuals and families in need with free medical, legal, counseling and dental services. In 2016, while celebrating its 45th Anniversary, the Free Clinic saw almost 4,000 individuals, equivalent to over 14,700 client contacts between its four service areas - medical, legal, counseling and dental. All of these services were provided through a network of over 160 mostly local volunteers and five staff members. The Dental Clinic is one of the only places in Southern California that provides free comprehensive dental services. The Clinic even has an in-home dental program for Seniors 60+. Many of the clients of the Free Clinic have nowhere else to go for help. Besides providing excellent care to its patients and clients, the Free Clinic serves as a training facility for doctors from two esteemed Kaiser Permanente training programs - Kaiser Permanente Family Resident Program and Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Program. As of 2016, the Free Clinic has trained over 88 residents. Additionally, the the Free Clinic provides internship training for Marriage and Family Therapists, many of whom continue to practice in Simi Valley. To date, over 56 therapists who have interned at the Free Clinic have become licensed MFTs. The Clinic is a partner with Adventist Health Simi Valley in providing a health safety net for the community. The Free Clinic does not receive payments or reimbursements from Federal, State or Local government. The Free Clinic relies entirely on the generosity of individual donors, businesses, service clubs, churches and foundations. Moreover, the Free Clinic is not supported by any national parent corporation or foundation. The Free Clinic is proud to be the only Simi Valley based charity to achieve the level of GuideStar Exchange Gold Participant, a ranking for financial and ethical transparency among 501(c)(3) organizations. 2016 and 2017 were especially tough years for the Free Clinic due to the collapse of the long awaited "Under One Roof" project. Based on the driving force of the Free Clinic and its Board, the Free Clinic looks forward to the opening of the new "Multi Services Center," which will not only allow the Clinic to combine its two facilities into one, providing greater efficiency in service delivery, but will also allow the expansion into services, such as optometry, while providing offices to seven additional Simi Valley charities. |
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