Representatives from eight of Madison’s largest churches met at Blackhawk church yesterday with Perry Polnaszek, a Chippewa Falls resident who initiated the Touched Twice clinic concept. Four clinics, zero-budget events which mobilize volunteers and churches to offer free health care to the needy, were held in Madison in 2004 and 2005 but not since.
Polnaszek said the four Madison clinics that were held out-served the free clinic offered by the University of Wisconsin. One main reason for the enthusiastic response is that the Touched Twice clinics offer free dental and vision care, first come-first served, no questions asked. Dental and vision services are not covered by BadgerCare, Wisconsin’s program for uninsured families. "This situation will only get worse," he said. "God has given us a platform to meet that need.
The clinic concept is "meeting human needs in Christ’s name," Polnaszek said. Medical volunteers are mobilized along with food service, beauticians and barbers, photographers, and others who are interested in meeting the needs of people who have few resources. "Lives are being transformed," he said, "those who are served and those who serve."
The clinics are usually set up so that volunteers spend time with clients while waiting for services. Many volunteers then have the opportunity to present the Gospel to those who are interested. All volunteers are trained in advance. "We set the stage where God meets the needs and God gets the glory," Polnaszek said.
In many communities the clinic idea has been picked up by individual churches. It’s rarer for communities like Madison to come together across denominational lines to offer the services, but it does happen. And when it does it can make a significant impact. Thirty seven churches in Appleton served 2000 people in three different one day clinics, Polnaszek said. Here in Madison, 200 volunteers served 300 clients at the first Touched Twice clinic on April 14, 2004.
All four of the Madison Touched Twice clinics were held at Evangel Life Center. "We still get phone calls about the clinics," said Elizabeth Fredenberg, who represented Evangel at the meeting. "They’re waiting on us to do it again."
Strong interest was indicated by all present to revive the clinics if their respective churches would support the idea. Attendees decided to check with their churches and meet again on March 13th at Blackhawk Church.