Our Laguna: Day dedicated to keeping women healthy

The clinic began with a telephone hotline for people with a medical problem and no way to pay for medical care. By October 1970, a free clinic was opened, fostered by the late Dr. Gene Atherton and bail bondsman Ron Kaufman.

Some locals were riled, fearing that free medical care would draw more undesirables to town.

Former Police Chief Neil Purcell was among the skeptics, but he later came to realize the clinic provided valuable services — never more so than in the 1980s when a mysterious ailment decimated the city's vibrant gay community.

The clientele has changed, the location moved from Ocean Avenue to Third Street and a sliding scale of payment has replaced the free medical services. The clinic that began by caring for indigents with needle-transferred hepatitis and STDs, now offers quality family health care as well as discrete testing for HIV/AIDS.

Nothing speaks so clearly to the change in the public's perception of the clinic than the selection of clinic doctors Bent and Korey Jorgesen the 2010 Patriots Day Citizens of the Year.

The clinic handles about 16,000 visits a year, 20% of which are by children or adolescents.

Patients typically pay $20 per visit, about 8% of funding sources.

Government grants and reimbursements account for 75%. The rest comes from us.

No wonder the clinic welcomes donations, and makes them as palatable as possible with event such as Handbags for Health and the upcoming Sunset Beach Party.

Reservations for the party are $100 until Thursday, $120 after that. Reservations are requested by June 3. For more information, call clinic spokeswoman Monica Prado at (949) 494-0761, ext. 134.

BARBARA DIAMOND can be reached at (949) 302-1469 or coastlinepilot@latimes.com.