DATE: Wednesday, August 27, 1997            TAG: 9708270537

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B11  EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY REBECCA MYERS CUTCHINS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   30 lines

$25,000 GIFT IS REPRIEVE FOR SCHOOL CLINIC IN PORTSMOUTH

The cloud was officially lifted from the Sunshine Health Center on Tuesday.

School Superintendent Richard D. Trumble gave the school-based clinic the go-ahead for another year after hearing of an anonymous benefactor's $25,000 gift.

Last week, Trumble had said the clinic would close Tuesday because the health center had failed to raise the $74,000 needed to operate for the next year.

But after learning of the recent donation, Trumble declared that the center will remain open for now.

``Yes, indeed, we'll proceed to go ahead and operate the clinic until the funds run out,'' he said Tuesday. ``Between what we have on hand and the benefactor's generosity, it should be indeed a full budget (for next year).''

The center, based at Hunt-Mapp Middle School, offers primary care for Portsmouth students, many of whom might otherwise go without it. The center's pediatric nurse practitioner and medical assistant treat minor illnesses and simple injuries and conduct athletic and school-entrance physicals.

Phyllis Bricker, director of the center and the district's supervisor of medical services, said the clinic was too busy to celebrate Tuesday afternoon.

``We're seeing patients, and we're starting to call people to tell them, `Yes, we can make an appointment for you,' '' said Bricker, who added that she was extremely grateful to the benefactor and pleased with Trumble's decision.

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