Woman hero to under-insured patients

LAFAYETTE, INDIANA (WLFI) - Every day, dozens of people line up at Riggs Community Health Center in need of health care for themselves or their children. Often they have no insurance, and rely solely on the clinic for care. It wasn't that long ago in 1988, Dr. Wendell Riggs was working out of a small apartment, trying to provide community health care. In the mid 90's, Tippecanoe County saw the need for a larger clinic. That's when the county called Sally Watlington.

Sally Watlington was raised in Rockford, Illinois. She came to Purdue in 1956. Upon graduation, she entered the U.S. Navy and spent 23 1/2 years serving our country. When it was time to retire, Sally knew she wanted to make Lafayette her home. That's when volunteering became her passion.

"My mother and father were volunteers in the community, so I sort of come by what I do now, kind of honestly. It's in the genes as you would say," said Sally Watlington.

Watlington spent time with the YWCA and its domestic violence and intervention program, she served the United Way, the Red Cross and the Lafayette Parks Department. Then a call came in 1995 from then County Commissioner President Nola Gentry, asking Watlington to chair a committee to determine the need for a community health clinic, and raise the money.

"We started asking for money, and writing grants and doing all those things to collect that kind of money," said Watlington.

The county needed land and money to build a facility. Watlington and her team went to work. She said the Sisters of Saint Francis gave the county space to build on a land lease for 50 years, at only one dollar a year. The county pitched in three-hundred thousand dollars and donations and grants made up the rest.

"In May 6, 1998, we opened the clinic in this building. It was debt-free. It was totally paid for, every lock, stock and barrel," said Watlington.

The clinic was rededicated in 2008 to Dr. Wendell Riggs, changing the clinic's name to Riggs Community Health Clinic. The man who Watlington said started it all. She said the clinic served more than 11,000 people last year alone, and one-third of the mothers who delivered babies in Lafayette received prenatal care at the clinic.

"It makes me feel good. Yeah, you see people who are helped in this process and then you see people who have no idea that you did anything or had nothing to do with it. I walk through Riggs out here, those people don't know who I am, but I know who they are. And I'm delighted that they are in this building getting healthcare and taking care of their children," said Watlington.

A portrait of Sally Watlington hangs inside the clinic, recognizing her for the work she did to open the clinic in a new building with new resources.

Watlington will turn in her Chairman of the Board title later this year, but still plans to help at the place she got started so many years ago.