Wine and Cheese Night raises money for Athens Free Clinic

On Friday, April 26, the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership celebrated the annual Wine and Cheese Night on the UGA Health Sciences Campus.

Wine and Cheese Night is a fundraiser coordinated by the Student Government Organization (SGO). The event features a wide selection of snacks, wine, a silent auction, raffles, and music, and all proceeds go towards both SGO and the Medical Partnership’s Athens Free Clinic.

The food at Wine and Cheese was catered by Athens Cooks, a store and eatery on Prince Avenue offering retail, dining, and educational experiences. The variety of wines, both for the event and the raffle, was donated by Kate White of Savannah Distributing Company.

While the night was filled with good food and conversation, the focus of the night was to raise money for the Athens Free Clinic—a clinic dedicated to serving citizens of Athens-Clarke County who might not otherwise have access to healthcare.

“We couldn’t do this without all of you,” Dr. Suzanne Lester, director of the Athens Free Clinic, said to guests. “Your donations help provide the supplies that our students use to take care of patients, and your donations go towards diagnostic testing and transportation for our patients. I don’t know how else to say thank you.”

Since March 2018, the Athens Free Clinic has provided 3,429 primary care visits at a value of nearly $850,000.

“The clinic is really important to all students. It gives us a way to get involved in the community and give back to the community we all love,” said M2 SGO representative, Sean Gordon. “We also want to say thank you to all the donors who make all this happen and support Wine and Cheese and allow us to provide care to so many people in the community.”

By the end of the event, $5,855 was raised.

To donate to the Athens Free Clinic, click here.