Cape May Court House, NJ: Volunteers In Medicine (VIM) will host its 11th Annual Gala on Friday, September 8, to honor and celebrate those in the community who have helped make the 15-year old clinic a reality. This year’s Gala will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor, located on the bay in Stone Harbor.
The evening will begin with cocktails and hors d’ouevres on the club's beautiful openair deck, followed by an elegant three course dinner and program. Tickets for the Gala are $100 per person; tables of 10 can be purchased for $950. Proceeds from the event will provide free health care at the VIM Clinic. Several VIM supporters will be honored during the Gala, including Melind Pandya, DO, who will be celebrated as VIM's 2017 Volunteer Doctor of the Year. Dr. Pandya is a graduate of UMDNJ, and he completed his specialized nephrology fellowship training at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. Dr. Pandya has been in active practice in Cape May County since 2006 and resides in Ocean View, NJ with his family. He began volunteering at VIM in 2012 and quickly became a much-beloved member of the care team. VIM’s primary care doctors appreciate access to such a bright and competent specialist, and the clinic’s nurses and patients enjoy his caring manner and pleasant personality.
Susan Antczak, RN will be recognized as VIM’s 2017 Volunteer of the Year. Nurse Antczak joined
VIM’s care team after learning about the free clinic at a charity golf outing dubbed “Spring for VIM.” She is trained in multiple areas of the clinic, and serves as back-up to the Clinic Director when Barbara Harvey, RN is on vacation. An Ocean City resident, she has also gladly helped train the new team of volunteers at VIM’s newest clinic in Egg Harbor Township. For more than 15 years, VIM has been able to promote the clinic in three local area newspapers via a “Care of the Week” program. These small ads also highlight the donors that make care available at VIM. Over the years, these ads would have easily cost thousands of dollars but have been graciously provided free of charge by The Cape May County Herald, The Middle Township Gazette and TheCape May Star & Wave. For generously donating precious print space, these three Newspapers will be recognized at this year’s Gala as VIM’s Community Partners for 2017.
