KVHC, TAMC to help kick off Ashland Summer Fest July 3

 ASHLAND, Maine — Two health care providers that serve the people of Ashland and the surrounding communities will host a community appreciation event and open house for area residents that will serve as a kickoff to the annual Summer Fest Celebration this Thursday.
Katahdin Valley Health Center and TAMC will hold activities for all ages in and around the Virginia S. Pinkham Building, home of the Ashland Health Center, at 33 Walker St. in Ashland from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The event will feature refreshments in the morning, a free barbecue lunch around noontime, free blood pressure screenings, health information displays on various topics, and activities for children hosted by KVHC.
TAMC will hold an official opening for its Eye Care Services in Ashland, located on the ground level of the health center building, and host a strawberry shortcake social, free to those who attend. The Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce will also hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for TAMC’s newest specialty care location.
“KVHC is excited to be serving the Ashland community by providing primary health care to all. We welcome everyone in the Ashland area join us July 3. We invite you to begin your holiday celebration with a barbecue and learn about KVHC’s services and programs,” said Mary Hall, KVHC medical practice manager.
The community appreciation and open house events will serve as an opportunity for KVHC to officially welcome the public to the newest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) it operates in northern Maine. On Feb. 1 of this year, the primary health care services offered at the Ashland Health Center transitioned from TAMC to KVHC.
Eye Care Services will celebrate its official opening during the July 3 event. Renovation work on the ground level of the Ashland Health Center to accommodate the new service was recently completed and the practice is now taking appointments for the new location. Dr. Mark Morin, an Ashland native and ophthalmologist, will now see patients in his hometown on a regular basis at the facility.
“Our providers and staff look forward to serving area residents from our Ashland location,” said Mary Beaulieu, TAMC Eye Care Services practice manager. “We are happy to be joining the staff at KVHC to welcome members of the community to the July 3 celebration and start of the annual Summer Fest Celebration.”
The services offered by TAMC Eye Care Services in Ashland include non-dilated and dilated eye examinations for conditions such as glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration and cataract, as well as in-office surgical procedures including intraocular injections and excision of lesions and skin cancers. A number of TAMC Eye Care Services staff members will be on site to tour community members through the new Ashland location and to serve up strawberry shortcakes to attendees.