Posted 10/14/2006

Health Coalition honors priest, children's ministry for service to Hispanic/Latino communities

A Catholic priest and a children’s ministry have been recognized for their efforts in serving the health care needs of the Hispanic/Latino communities in South Carolina  

The South Carolina Hispanic/Latino Health Coalition presented the Irma Ramos Excellence in Community Services Award to Healthy Learners, an outreach of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine.  It provides free health screenings and other health services to school children in Richland, Lexington, Allendale, Dillon, and Greenwood counties. 

The Ramos award honors the late Puerto Rican native who had been site manager for the Spartanburg Migrant Health Clinic and the Spartanburg area coordinator of migrant services for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control 

The coalition presented its Outstanding Hispanic Community Leader Award to the Rev. Rick LaBrecque of Conway for his service to the Hispanic community in the Pee Dee. He has been pastor of the Catholic Church of St James for the past ten years. 

The awards were presented during the Eighth Hispanic Health Issues Conference Oct. 12-13 in Columbia. 

LaBrecque was recognized for providing services in Spanish in Loris and Conway and helping create the Pee Dee Migrant Task Force to assist migrant and seasonal farm workers. 

Since its creation in 1992, the Healthy Learners ministry has provided free medical and dental care for more than 30,000 children who do not have health insurance or Medicaid. Currently the Healthy Learners programs serve 102 schools in seven school districts.

An estimated 115,000 children and youths in this state do not have resources for basic health care.

For more information:

•  SCHLHC Home Page