COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. — After over a decade of planning, community collaboration, and fund raising, the Community Health Centers of Lane County (CHCLC), a division of Lane County Health & Human Services, will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the first rural CHCLC, the South Lane Clinic this coming Thursday, October 26th from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the site of the future clinic, Lane Community College's Cottage Grove Center (1275 S River Rd in Cottage Grove). The ceremony will feature remarks from Lane County Commissioner, Heather Buch, Lane Community College President, Stephanie Bulger, Cottage Grove City Councilor, Dana Merryday, State Director for USDA Rural Development in Oregon, Margi Hoffmann, and CHCLC patient and Cottage Grove community member, Michelle Thurston.
“This ceremony marks arguably the most significant step in opening Lane County’s first rural CHCLC clinic location and providing critical healthcare services to an underserved area,” said Lane County Health & Human Services Director, Eve Gray. “The commitment from our partners to closing the healthcare gaps in South Lane has been inspiring and in large part has provided the momentum that has brought us to this point.”
The South Lane Clinic has been made possible by a strategic partnership between Lane County, Lane Community College, South Lane School District, Be Your Best, South Lane Mental Health, and PeaceHealth. The clinic will be the seventh CHCLC clinic location and the first outside the Eugene/Springfield area. It will offer medical, dental, and integrated behavioral health care to 5,000+ residents per year, as well as the first CHCLC site to provide training for local students interested in health care careers through a career technical education program administered by Lane Community College and in partnership with South Lane School District, Lane County, and PeaceHealth.
"Lane Community College takes great pride in supporting the South Lane Health Center," said LCC President Stephanie Bulger. "This initiative represents a triple benefit for our community. Residents of South Lane County will enjoy enhanced health care access, students will benefit from expanded opportunities in health professions education, and local health institutions can look forward to welcoming more graduates, all due to this innovative clinic."
The groundbreaking ceremony will feature a continental breakfast and is open to the public. All members of the media are welcome to attend.
Lane Community College educates over 15,000 students annually at six locations across Lane County and online. Students and alumni from all 50 states and 79 countries create more than an $675 million dollar impact on the local economy, helping to support more than 8,900 local jobs. Lane provides affordable, quality, professional technical and college transfer programs; business development and employee training; academic, language and life skills development; and lifelong personal development and enrichment courses.