Chippewa Valley Free Clinic

Volunteer Spotlight: Dr. Lori Whitis

Lori Whitis, MD, Assistant Medical Director at CVFC, works the diabetic clinics every first and third Thursdays of the month. Dr. Whitis enjoys being one of the few providers dedicated to a single population of patients; she believes there is an advantage to providing patients with a “continuity of care” because it allows for a more comprehensive provider-patient relationship. Dr. Whitis became a doctor because “she never wanted to be anything else,” and she wanted to use the gifts she’d been given. Prior to coming to the Clinic, she took several years off from medicine to stay home with her kids.  She began volunteering at the Clinic to see patients again and enjoyed the flexibility of scheduling that the Clinic offered.  While the Clinic gained a dedicated and talented volunteer, Dr. Whitis has gained from the experience, as well. In the two plus years she has volunteered here, she has been “amazed by the strength and resilience” of many of the patients she serves. She also believes that working in this environment really makes her gain a whole new perspective on life and think about what she has been given.

We greatly appreciate the work of Dr. Whitis and all of our volunteers.  Virtually all of the services our patients receive come directly from volunteers.

Volunteer Spotlight: Stacey Powell

This month we’re highlighting the work of one of our nursing volunteers, Stacey Powell, R.N., B.S.N.  Stacey has been a nurse for 14 years, and currently works at Sacred Heart Hospital in the O.R.  She spends the majority of her time in a management position, rather than working right with patients.  Her work at Sacred Heart is fast paced, but she loves it.  Stacey has been volunteering at the Clinic for about a year.

She started out wanting to give back to the community, but nowadays feels like she is receiving more back from patients.  “After working a 12-hour day”, she says, “being able to work directly with patients in a fun, laid-back atmosphere is wonderful.”  Stacey also shared that it doesn’t hurt “being fed after a long day’s work and not having to do dishes!”

Stacey is especially impressed by CVFC’s volunteers’ willingness to collaborate from many different areas, in order to better the community as a whole.

Thank you to all of our volunteers for your hard work and dedication!

Volunteer Spotlight: Ray Miller

For the past few months, Ray Miller has been helping our patients sign up for the new BadgerCare Plus Core Program.  His positive attitude and attention to detail have been a great addition to our team.

Ray began his relationship with CVFC over a year ago when he was in a place where he needed medical help but couldn’t afford it. He was fortunate enough to live in a city with a Free Clinic and after receiving care, felt a desire to give back.  He enjoys the process of signing patients up for BC+Core because of the opportunity to “connect people with the resources out there for them, which they might otherwise not know about.”

Ray’s current trade is as a machine technician, but now intends to tackle the most complex machine out there, the human body!  So, in addition to continuing to volunteer at the Clinic, he is currently preparing to take the MCAT for his application to medical school.

We thoroughly appreciate all of our volunteer’s great work and commitment to excellence!