The Samuel Dixon Family Health Center held its second annual cornhole tournament on Saturday at the Lucky Luke Brewing Company.
Each team, which consisted of two people, paid $100 to participate. Winners of the tournament won $500, second place won $300 and third place won $150, all while raising funds to support the nonprofit health center’s local programs.
According to its website, the Dixon health center strives to “provide high-quality, culturally sensitive, affordable, and accessible primary health care, dental, mental health, and enrollment services…[believing] everyone should have access to quality health care… and never [refusing] service due to an inability to pay or lack of insurance.”
With Sam Giordano from Downright Cornhole going over the rules with the tournament participants, and activities for children, including coloring and making an Orbeez jar, the event was planned to offer something for all ages.
“We have services going on now, but we are also purchasing an office to increase our services because we have just seen the need for mental health services increase. We’re raising money to increase our mental health services and bring on more therapists,” said Gloria Mercado-Fortine, president of the Dixon health center’s board.
The center initially opened over four decades ago in Val Verde.
“We opened up in Newhall, and we have another clinic in Canyon Country, right next to Sierra Vista Junior High School,” Mercado-Fortine said. “We partner with Single Mothers Outreach, Circle of Hope, we’re kind of like a little secret, but we’re connected everywhere.”
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, according to Chief Executive Officer Philip Solomon, and all proceeds of the event will go toward the center’s mental health program.
“We’ve been around since 1980. We started out as primary care … In the last few years, we’ve really grown our mental health program,” Solomon said. “All the proceeds are going towards supporting our mental health program so that we could provide access to care for individuals who may not be able to afford out-of-pocket counseling services.”
Solomon encourages anyone who could use assistance to utilize the center’s services. “You may know somebody or have a family member, a neighbor who benefits from what we offer. We accept all kinds of insurance, and we have specialized programs that can provide care to them and their families.”
