Archive for the ‘Service’ Category

YOU can help Warren County Build a Permanent Free Clinic

Monday, February 8th, 2010

VOTE Online to Expand Free Medical Clinic for Warren/Van Buren Counties
$250K Prize from Pepsi Could Help Isha Care Build a Permanent Facility

MCMINNVILLE—Two minutes of your time can make a big difference in the lives of thousands of uninsured Tennesseans who are unable to afford medical care.

Non-profit Isha Care Free Clinic of McMinnville is ranked in the top 5 in an online
contest hosted by Pepsi to win $250,000. Currently operating out of temporary space at the Harrison Ferry CIC on Highway 8, if Isha Care wins this prize the Clinic will be able to construct a permanent medical facility.

Visit the Isha Care website to VOTE: www.ishacare.org or visit the contest page at www.refresheverything.com/ishacare. The top 2 finishers of the contest both win $250,000. Any U.S. resident can cast 1 vote every day, so supporters can bookmark the link and vote daily to help win the prize. Voting ends Sunday, Feb 28 at 11pm (CST).

“The Warren and Van Buren county community members have been extremely supportive of the free clinic,” said Dr. Kalpana Rajdev, Medical Director of Isha Care. “But more funding is needed in order to establish a permanent facility, which is a dire and growing need. It is a common misconception that the uninsured are those who are out of work, but the population needing free care is much larger than that. Many people coming into our clinic are employed, but they can no longer afford the skyrocketing costs of care or health insurance—It is an epidemic of its own.”

Families USA (March 2009) reported that an astounding 30% of Tennessee residents were without health insurance for all or part of 2009. Of those who were uninsured, nearly 75% were employed at the time.

Dr. Rajdev sees the new free clinic as one viable solution for our local community to fulfill the urgent and ever-increasing need for access to basic medical care for those who cannot afford it. Construction plans for the Isha Care free clinic outline a 1500 square foot facility with two exam rooms, a laboratory, a waiting room, and equipment for electronic patient records.

Isha Care Free Clinic is a non-profit primary care clinic established in September, 2008. The clinic provides free medical care to the uninsured of Warren, Van Buren, and Sequatchie counties. Isha Care is wholly operated by volunteer physicians and staff out of temporary space at the local Harrison Ferry CIC just off Highway 8 in McMinnville. The clinic offers free care on Saturdays from 8am until noon. For more information contact Isha Care at 931-815-8500, or www.ishacare.org.

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Posted in FYI, Health care, Service | No Comments »

Gordon Encourages Stop Loss Soldiers To Apply For New Funds

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

bartgordonWASHINGTON – Congressman Bart Gordon announced today that the U.S. Department of Defense is making special payments available for service members who have had their enlistments involuntarily extended since September 11, 2001.

“It takes a tremendous amount of courage for service members to continue standing in harm’s way when they’ve been apart from their families for so long,” said Gordon who voted for the 2009 War Supplemental Appropriations Act, which established this new initiative. “While no amount of money can make up for the burden of extended deployments, I hope these payments will help our soldiers know how much we appreciate their commitment and honor their service.”

The U.S. Department of Defense is providing service members with $500 for every month they were held under stop loss orders between September 11, 2001 and September 30, 2009. Since 2001, more than 185,000 service members have been held under stop loss orders.

Service members from all branches of the military, including members of Reserve units, can submit claims for retroactive stop loss pay until October 21, 2010. Each service member will be required to submit documented proof that they were stop lossed. Family members of deceased service members may also apply for payments.

For specific information about how service members from each branch of the military can apply for payments, please visit the following websites:

Army: https://www.stoplosspay.army.mil
Navy: send an email to – NXAG_N132C@navy.mil
Marine Corps: https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/stoploss
Air Force: http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/stoploss

“While each branch of the military would like eligible service members to apply online, if you don’t have access to the Internet, you can call my office for assistance,” added Gordon.

Those who have questions or need assistance with the application process should call Congressman Gordon’s Murfreesboro office at (615) 896-1986.

Posted in Heroes, Legislation, Military, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6), Service, Soldiers, Veterans | No Comments »

Friday, September 11th, 2009
Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Conservatives, Liberals, Christians, Jews, Muslims, and even Atheists perished at these two ghostly-lit empty spaces. They had at least one thing in common - they were Americans. Today is not a day for political posturing. It is a day for solemn reflection on those Americans who died by those Americans who still live.

Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Conservatives, Liberals, Christians, Jews, Muslims, and even Atheists perished at these two ghostly-lit empty spaces. They had at least one thing in common - they were Americans. Today is not a day for political posturing. It is a day for solemn reflection on those Americans who died by those Americans who still live.

Posted in Faith, From the Chair, Service, Terrorism, Volunteer | No Comments »

Family Fun at International Folkfest!

Sunday, June 21st, 2009




This year’s International Street Festival on the Square in Murfreesboro included a Rutherford County Democratic Party tent where adults could register to vote, kids could get their faces painted, and folks could cool down with some complimentary lemonade. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work for our volunteers who braved triple-digit heat to make this a very successful visibility event. Thanks to all of our dedicated volunteers who made it a great success, and especially to Jill and Jo Collier who painted colorful designs on faces for 5 hours straight until the line finally ceased! And thanks to all (Chloe, Sydney, Chantho, Will, etc.) who helped inflate, string, and pass out the more than 100 balloons!

Posted in Democratic Party, Events, Service | No Comments »

A Memorial Day Message From Our Chairman…

Monday, May 25th, 2009
Sergeant Alvin C. York, a Tennessee Hero

Sergeant Alvin C. York, a Tennessee Hero

My Great Great Great Great Great Grandfather, John S. Fagan, is buried near an enormous hickory tree on the Rutherford/Cannon County line. He was wounded storming the breastworks in the Battle of Kings Mountain during the Revolutionary War. He survived. Many did not. The freedom from tyranny they won afforded us a democracy that survives to this day, and is allowed to flourish because of the great sacrifice of our soldiers and their families.

Alvin C. York was one Tennessean who did not want to be a soldier. Raised on the Cumberland Plateau in Pall Mall, his Church of Christ faith discouraged war and violence, and he applied for Conscientious Objector status when drafted in 1917. Though he was declined and joined the 82nd Infantry Division, he came to realize that warfare could be justified through discussion of the Biblical stance on war with his company commander at Camp Gordon, Georgia.

Alvin single-handedly killed 30 German machine gunners and captured 132 enemy soldiers that were cutting his platoon to pieces. For that he received the Medal of Honor, a ticker tape parade in New York City, and a personal thank you from his Congressman Cordell Hull. But York’s greatest achievement came after the war was won. He wanted rural children to have the chance to get a high school education, so he worked to build a school in Jamestown, Fentress County, Tennessee. Alvin C. York Institute is now a nationally recognized school of excellence and boasts the highest high school graduation percentage in the state. It is home to almost 800 students, who honor and memorialize Alvin every day by living and learning in a free nation.

So it is with us all. We are living, breathing memorials to those who have come before and given us the liberty to live our lives and do our deeds. In the words of George S. Patton, “War is hell.” Whenever we help our fellow man or work to allow others the chance for a better life, we honor those who went through hell to defend our freedom.

Sincerely,
Jonathon Fagan
Chairman, Rutherford County Democratic Party

Posted in From the Chair, Service, Veterans | No Comments »

Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6) to host military service academy forum for interested students

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

Congressman Bart Gordon will host a forum this coming Saturday, May 9th, for students interested in attending one of the U.S. military service academies.

“Each year, I have the privilege of nominating Middle Tennessee students to attend the service academies,” said Gordon. “Cadets receive free tuition, room and board, as well as a monthly stipend. Upon graduation, they are commissioned as second lieutenants or ensigns in their branch of service, where they must complete a five-year service obligation.”

The value of a service academy education is more than $300,000.

Representatives will be present from the Air Force, Naval, Military, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine Academies. ROTC program representatives from Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee State University and Tennessee Tech University will also be in attendance.

In addition, cadets from Middle Tennessee who are currently attending the service academies will be available to discuss their experiences and answer questions.

“This forum is a great opportunity for interested students and their parents to meet with representatives from the service academies to get first-hand information about these fine schools,” Gordon said.

The forum, open to students in grades 8-12, will be held at 3 p.m. at the Patterson Park Community Center, located at 521 Mercury Blvd. in Murfreesboro. For directions or more information, call Gordon’s office at 615-896-1986.

Posted in Education, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6), Service | 1 Comment »