They started lining up at three o’clock this morning (one confirmed report said midnight) in order to receive the free dental care and medical care that was offered through the Touched Twice Clinic hosted by Calvary Gospel Church and Crosspoint Church. The two churches are located next to each other on Commercial Avenue, just west of I-90-94.
The Touched Twice Clinic is a zero-budget, church-based method of addressing the medical, physical, and spiritual needs of the community’s most needy population. Clinics have been held in Madison since August, 2004.
About 2,000 people participated in this clinic, according to Scotia Leonardson, who served as clinic coordinator, along with Peg Baker and Ray Grant. Two thirds of them were “clients,” who came for the medical care and other services, such as free hair cuts, massages, and professional family photos, as well as free food from The River Food Pantry. The rest were service providers or “advocates,” volunteers who helped the clients navigate through it all.
The most eagerly sought service is dental. “We had 160 spaces for dental care,” Leonardson said. “They filled up within the first hour.” A total of 17 dentists donated their time and their office space. There were nineteen hygienists, including some dental students from the University of Wisconsin.
Church People Wor
king Together to Serve the Community
This is the fifth time that Calvary Gospel Church has hosted the Touched Twice Clinic. The first clinic at Calvary Gospel was held in October of 2008, and once each spring and fall since. Previous Touched Twice Clinics were held at Evangel Life Center, going back to 2004.
As the number of people participating started to overwhelm the church’s facilities last spring, the neighboring Crosspoint Church joined the effort and joined in again today. While the volunteers represented as many as 20 area congregations, Leonardson said that they had received word that more Madison churches were interested in partnering with them on the next clinic.
She also mentioned that an upcoming clinic scheduled in Oconomowoc was initiated by someone who volunteered in last spring’s Touched Twice Madison clinic. “That is exactly what we want to happen,” she said. “We are so excited about other churches becoming involved.”
A Church Full of Volunteers
Calvary Gospel Church has totally embraced the Touched Twice clinic. “People talk about it all year long,” Leonardson said. “They ask constantly when the next one is, and are always suggesting ideas to improve it. It’s become a part of who we are.”
The Touched Twice clinic takes its name from from the blind man in Mark 8:22-25, who was touched by Jesus twice before he became whole. The clinics are focused on assessing both the physical needs and the spiritual needs of the clients.
More information on the local Touched Twice Clinics can be found at their website: http://touchedtwicemadison.org/.
Touched Twice United, the national office of the Touched Twice movement, is based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.