One-stop healthcare

Taking part in the ribbon cutting on Tuesday afternoon to formally open Aulander Dental and Primary Care were members of the RCCHC Board of Directors and executive team, and medical providers and staff at the facility, along with Golden Leaf, Town of Aulander, and federal officials.Staff Photo by Cal Bryant

AULANDER – Imagine a place that offers dental and primary medical care all under one roof.

Sounds exciting, but you are probably thinking about having to drive a long distance to locate such a facility. Well, that’s no longer the case.

On Tuesday afternoon, Roanoke-Chowan Community Health Center (RCCHC) was joined by local, state, and federal officials to formally open Aulander Dental and Primary Care. Located at 312 South Pine Drive in Aulander, this project has taken several years to materialize, but as some will say, “good things happen to those who wait.”

The facility was the brainchild of Kim Schwartz, former CEO of RCCHC.

“This is her vision,” said Shelia Eley, chair of the RCCHC Board of Directors. “Kim wanted to bring affordable dental health care to our community. We are grateful that Kim did not give up on this dream. She put in the work, she sent up the prayers, and she contacted the right people to get the job done.”

A bench located adjacent to the main entrance of the new faculty is dedicated in honor of Schwartz for her efforts.

The Golden Leaf Foundation was among those that aided in construction of the facility though grant funding.

“Golden Leaf is very proud to help RCCHC bring new services and new jobs to Bertie County,” said Scott Hamilton, president of the Foundation. “Golden Leaf sees healthcare as a key component to economic development as it not only creates jobs, it also strengthens health and wellbeing of communities which is essential for a strong workforce. A strong workforce supports a strong local economy.”

Hamilton added that Golden Leaf’s mission is to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural and economically distressed communities.

“We are focused on sustainable projects like this project. Healthcare projects create stable, skilled, quality jobs that help retain talent in our rural communities,” he said. “Golden Leaf is very excited about what this project is going to do for patients, families, and the local workforce for generations to come.”

Richard Jernigan, Mayor Pro Tem for the Town of Aulander, was also on hand to offer remarks.

“We celebrate this important addition to our community and look forward to the positive impact it will have on the health and wellbeing of our citizens. Congratulations to Roanoke-Chowan Community Health Center for reaching this exciting milestone and best wishes for your continued success,” Jernigan stated.

Guests attending Tuesday’s open house were treated to tours of Aulander Dental and Primary Care.Staff Photo by Cal Bryant

Bertie County native John Tayloe, Eastern North Carolina Representative for United States Senator Ted Budd, was well aware of this project. Tayloe is a former member of the RCCHC Board of Directors. In that capacity he was instrumental in locating the land needed for the dental/primary care clinic.