Arthur Nagel Executive Director Chuck Lutke and Clinical Director Susan Broa recently spoke to the Bandera County Retired Teachers about the history and services available at the Arthur Nagel Clinic.
Lutke spoke first and detailed the early history of the clinic. Broa then followed and described the various services the clinic provided.
The clinic was founded in 2008 by Hill Country Businessman Arthur Nagel and a group of like-minded friends.
The clinic served 3,300 paid appointments and provided over 600 health services. This amounted to 1.8 million dollars in health services for low-income people in Bandera County.
Broa spoke about the Prescription Assistance Program that Nagel funds which helps patients afford costly medications. She also spoke about the clinic’s Well Woman Program, which with the help of Christus Santa Rosa Hospital provides mammograms five times a year to patients.
The clinic also provides Well Man services and has included a dermatologist’s services once a month. Broa mentioned the satellite program for the Pipe Creek/Lakehills area, which is housed at the Western Heritage Cowboy Church in Pipe Creek.
The clinic also provides mental health services which are called “Mind, Body, Spirit.” Broa’s own program, Risk Busters, educates individuals with chronic diseases like diabetes about healthy living.
In other news, The Bandera County Teachers voted on a new slate of officers who will serve two-year terms. The new slate of officers was unanimously elected. They are Deeanne Mazurek, President; Linder Hunter, 1st Vice President; Tracy Thayer, 2nd Vice President; Sarah Baxter, Secretary; Sharon Anderwald, Treasurer; and Lynn Oliver, Past President.
Linda Hunter encouraged all members to turn in their community service hours. Secretary Sarah Baxter reported that as of the meeting, the club had logged 9,000 hours of community service for 2023.
Health and Safety Chairman Doris Doebbler gave a report on winter safety tips.
Children’s Book Project Chair Deeanne Mazurek gave a report on the December event. Mazurek reported that they collected 855 books for the drive and distributed 694 books to pre-K, kinder, first and second graders in Bandera ISD, Medina ISD and Utopia ISD.
Mazurek also reported that the project will start with 300 books for third, fourth and fifth graders for next year due to increased donations.
The tables at the meeting were scattered with thank you cards from the youngsters who received books this year.
Linda Hunter reported on the canned food drive that the BCRTA participated in before Christmas. She read a thankyou letter from Helping Hands Director Jesse Parks.
The BCRTA donation combined with other donations fed 4937 people and helped provide 473 holiday dinners.
Parks also thanked the group for participating in the holiday bell ringing, which brought in $10,000 to be used in the Bandera community.
President Lynn Oliver gave information on the Texas Retired Teachers Association Convention in Corpus Christi.
The group voted on which participating members would be delegates to the convention. The convention will be from April 15 through April 17 at the American Bank Center.
The group discussed the Spring Spirit Night bake sale, and concurred Deeanne Mazurek will talk with business owner Lauren D’Spain of the Dough Joe about using her front patio for the sale.
That bake sale’s proceeds go toward providing a college scholarship to high school seniors who are planning to be teachers.
Linda Hunter spoke about the Peanut Butter Drive for Snak Paks 4Kids.
The Retired Teachers group collected 102 jars of peanut butter for that organization.
The next meeting of the BCRTA will be on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the Medina Public Library in Medina at 10 a.m. Lunch will be a local Medina restaurant.
