Community Free Clinic of Washington County gets creative, if muddy, to meet its budget

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (WDVM) — The Community Free Clinic of Washington County is being resourceful to generate financial support during the pandemic.

Social distancing protocols have forced the cancellation of it’s popular annual “Mud Volleyball” fundraising event, replaced instead with a “Get Muddy Bucket Challenge.” The clinic is a leading provider of health care to those lacking insurance. Hagerstown mayoral candidate Michael Barnes, a longtime clinic board member took the challenge rolling into the weekend. And his rival in the November election, Emily Keller, has gladly accepted a challenge to support the important services the clinic provides.

“We’ve lost a good bit of money that are operating funds for the clinic,” says Nicole Houser, executive director of the Community Free Clinic

Barnes is vice president of the clinic’s board of directors and says “we’ve been the gem of the community serving the underinsured and uninsured of Washington County.”

This year this clinic is celebrating thirty years of service to Washington County.