AMY SZPARA

EDGARD – Saturday was both a homecoming celebration and a grand opening ceremony for Dr. Reginald J. Ross and the community of Edgard. A six-year dream, Ross recently opened his clinic which will double as a private practice and a public health unit in his hometown. Through a deal made between Ross, St. John Parish and the state, the vision turned into reality Saturday as parish officials and community members met to celebrate the occasion on the grounds of the facility. Tables were set up to offer health information to the public, and a spacewalk was in place to entertain the children. Deputies applied ink to the tiny fingers of children to record fingerprints to ease the minds of parents. The crowd heard brief speeches from local dignitaries and ate spicy jambalaya prepared on site. The momentous day was important to the people of Edgard since the opening of the Edgard Primary Care Center brought the people on the west bank of the parish their only health facility. Months ago when the state de-staffed many of its public health units, the Edgard unit closed down. After that residents on the west side of the parish had to drive to the east bank or to another parish to receive medical attention. Ross, who already has practices in LaPlace and Luling that will remain open, had always hoped he could open a facility in Edgard. When the health unit shut down he saw his opportunity. He signed a contract with the state to provide health unit services, and since the parish owns the building Ross has to lease the facility from the parish council. He provides standard medical care out of his practice, and he also provides the health unit services at the cost of the state. The health unit services provided include family planning, WIC, STD treatments and immunizations. The clinic is open Monday and Friday afternoons and all day Tuesday and Thursday. Dr. Kevin O. Joseph has joined Ross to serve at the practice. Ross has big goals for the clinic, located just behind the courthouse. He is discussing eye care and OB/GYN services. He hopes to have an optometrist on staff one afternoon a week and an obstetrician another afternoon a week. “Our main thrust is to be comprehensive,” said Ross. He added he is applying for a $500,000 grant to assist the uninsured with their medical expenses. Born and raised in Edgard, Ross said he is happy to be giving back to the community. “When I left years ago, the goal was not only to become a doctor but to come back here and practice. It’s a dream come true,” he said. “It’s pretty cool the teachers and others who helped rear me are the same people I’ll now be taking care of. It’s a small, close-knit community. I’ll probably kiss and hug 90 percent of my patients when they come in to see me.” The facility has been open for about a month now, though the ribbon cutting was Saturday. Ross said they have seen a lot of patients in that time. Kenner Regional Medical Center recruited Joseph to assist Ross with the practice. “It’s tough to get a doctor to a small area like this,” said Ross. Joseph, who just completed his residency at E.A. Conway in Monroe, said he is excited to be working at the center. “This is my first venture into the real world outside of residency,” he said. “It will be a big learning experience. I think this center will be really good for the community.” Ross praises the current parish administration for helping him achieve his goal. Along with Parish President Nickie Monica and Sheriff Wayne L. Jones, state Rep. Roy Quezaire, councilmen Lester Rainey and Cleveland Farlough, Judge Madeline Jasmine, school board member Leroy Mitchell and Entergy president and chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater New Orleans Daniel Packer Jr. all flourished Ross with commendation and encouragement through their speeches. Ross, who spent much of his day visiting with family and friends at the celebration, said, “We’re pleased things are working out, and we’re looking forward to the future here. In the future maybe some of the kids coming through will be taking care of me when I get old.”