DENVER—Leah Daughtry’s church is still in Washington, but for now the chief executive of the Democratic National Convention Committee has made Denver her home.
“We love it. After you adjust to the altitude, it’s fine,” Daughtry said moments after touring a north-Denver clinic that serves uninsured residents, most of whom are Hispanic.
Daughtry’s visit to the Clinica Tepeyac Tuesday is part of the committee’s continuing efforts to establish ties with the city that will host their convention in August.
About a dozen DNCC volunteers shuffled through stacks of manila folders at the clinic to verify the number of people who obtained medical care there in 2007. The time-consuming task will help the clinic apply for state money raised from the 2005 tobacco-tax increase.
Daughtry stood before a long table with the piles of folders Tuesday and addressed the volunteers.
“We’re helping do paperwork it looks like,” she said. “So, where should we start?”
Behind the volunteers, clinic staffers had written on a white board that they had served 69 patients on Monday. “Congratulations—A record. Good Teamwork,” read the message, underscoring the growing demand at the clinic.
Most of the clinic’s staff members are volunteers. The clinic is a place where low-income families can get $76,000 worth of medical care for just $300, said David Lack, executive director of the Clinica Tepeyac. Lack said the clinic served 3,600 patients in 2006, and 8,000 in 2007. The goal this year is 12,000, he said.
About a third of the clinic’s patients are under 20-years-old.
Tuesday’s event is part of the monthly community service project the DNCC is doing leading up to the convention. Each project is aimed at environmental issues, youth, or homelessness and hunger.
Last month, Howard Dean helped repaint the walls at Denver’s Manual High School. Other events have included an after-school soccer camp with the Colorado Rapids and helping prepare a holiday breakfast for homeless and runaway youth with Colorado First Lady Jeannie Ritter.
“We’ve been here in Denver, we’ve made Denver our home, this is our way of giving something back,” Daughtry said. “It’s also a way to highlight our Democratic values.”
Daughtry took a tour of the clinic, along with Texas state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, co-chair of the Democratic National Convention. Also on the tour was Denver Councilwoman Judy Montero. Each marveled at the examination-rooms where patients without insurance can get immunizations, cancer screenings and acute care. Most of the staff members are volunteers.
“It’s exciting and it’s wonderful to see that (the clinic) has the ability to provide first-class services,” Daughtry said.
Limber Perez, 35, has made the trek to the clinic from Aurora for a year every time his wife or daughter are ill. “It’s more affordable, given that we’re uninsured,” Perez said in Spanish.
Daughtry, a preacher’s daughter and a Pentecostal pastor herself, said she accustomed to community outreach.
“I’m an old community organizer and activist and someone who has worked hard to provide services to a community like this one,” Daughtry said.
Although Daughtry still takes trips twice a month to her church in Washington, D.C., she said she will have to scale back her visits as the convention nears.
But that doesn’t mean her parishioners won’t still have access to her.
“They still call me when they’re in a crisis,” she said. “They have the pastor’s secret number.”
