Annual Derby Party Gives Hope Clinic a Boost

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***Mary Ginther stands to display her Derby Hat for the Deb Turvy Hat Contest at Saturday’s Kentucky Derby Party fundraiser for Hope Clinic of Ross County. Dan Ramey/Litter Media***

Organizers of the 2023 Hope Clinic of Ross County Kentucky Derby Party report the annual fundraiser was a huge success.

Hope Clinic of Ross County is a non-profit faith-based medical clinic providing basic medical and dental care to those with no insurance at no charge to the patient. The clinic is a 100-percent volunteer organization.

“For every dollar we raise we put six times as much back into the community” Director Jami Easterday said in her address to the sold out audience at the Chillicothe Country Club Saturday evening. “This is because we operate on a budget of approximately $200,000 per year and our services that we performed last year was $1.2 million in 2022.” Easterday added the figures included paying for medical costs and medication.

The clinic added a charitable pharmacy opened in November of 2021 and finished its first full year in 2022. Pharmacist Melanie Loftus said Hope Clinic Pharmacy had nearly 1,300 visits and dispensed 3,500 prescriptions totaling $90,000 for free.
“We’re only open one day per week, but have been able to dispense about 5,300 medications worth nearly $1.3 million to patients across 38 cities” Loftus told the attendees. “It’s amazing to me how many people we’ve been able to help in Ross and fourteen other surrounding counties and it’s all because of our amazing donors like you.”

The group honored the services of founder Dr. David Smith and his wife Camille for their years of voluntary service to the Hope Clinic.

***Deb Turvy will forever be remembered for her love for the Derby Hats. Donors voted with their dollars to determine best hat. Dan Ramey/Litter Media***

One of the fundraiser’s longtime organizers and volunteers, Deb Turvy was also remembered. Turvy, who passed away last summer, had a passion for the Derby hats worn by the guests. The committee named its hat contest after her.

The exact total for the funds raised Saturday evening was not readily available as of this report.

Hope Clinic of Ross County currently operates Mondays from 5pm-7pm at 610 Central Center in Chillicothe. For more details about the Hope Clinic of Ross County, its services, how to donate or volunteer and receive their services, visit their website.