Newtown Rotary Donates To Kevin’s Community Center

Dr Z. Michael Taweh, medical director of the newly established Kevin Community Center, spoke at Newtown Rotary Monday evening on the need for a free primary care medical clinic for low-income Newtown residents and those who do not have health insurance.

Many people would not know that the need exists for such a facility in Newtown. In just the high school, however, 103 students qualify for free lunches and 37 for reduced-cost lunches based on their families’ economic conditions. Many senior citizens do not have any or adequate health insurance or prescription drug insurance and often neglect medical help and refrain from obtaining the necessary prescriptions that would improve their standard of life.

The 2001 census showed 300 adults unemployed and without health insurance. Current conservative estimates today show 450 unemployed. The 2001 census also showed that 4,000 Newtown family members had no health insurance.

Dr Taweh and his wife suffered a tremendous loss when their young son Kevin died in an accident last year. However they managed turn a negative event into a powerful positive event when they decided to form a medical community center and name it after their son.

The clinic will be open every Wednesday from 1 to 5 pm at 4 Fairfield Circle South on the Fairfield Hills campus for Newtown residents of low income over the age of 18.

Dr Taweh’s call for help with the clinic brought an extraordinary response. Danbury Hospital has offered to do any lab work necessary, the Drug Center has agreed to help with prescription costs, 50 nurses volunteered when a call went out, the town cooperated by providing a location for the center at Fairfield Hills, and 45 different specialists have volunteered their services.

Although all the doctors and nurses are volunteers, there is still money needed to keep the center in operation so Newtown Rotary responded by presenting Dr Taweh with a check for $1,000. This is just a first installment since the club’s board of directors agreed that once the Harley Davidson Motorcycle raffle proceeds reaches the $9,000 commitment the club already made to help finish the Polio Plus Campaign (Rotary International started this in 1985 and is committed to eliminating polio from the face of earth by the end of 2005), the balance will be donated to the Kevin Community Center. For tickets call Ken Cohen at 270-9760.

Dr Taweh was assisted in his program at the Rotary meeting by Jennifer A. Lane, LPN, clinic director of the Kevin Community Center. Anyone wishing to contribute to the center can send a donation to The Community Center, Inc, 4 Fairfield Circle South, Fairfield Hills Campus. Newtown, CT 06470.