The Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers Inc. recently installed a new slate of officers and board members at a festive evening dinner event held at the Canyon Country Elks Lodge.

Ed Bolden returned as board president with Mike Fisher as vice president, David Goldberg, D.D.S. serving as secretary and P.K. Reibsamen as treasurer.

Board members installed included Lori Bennett, Matthew Denny, CPA, Laura Gallardo, Charlotte Kleeman, Tim Lankford, Carol Rock and Jan Wilde.

Installing officers were Dave Perry, representing Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, and Santa Clarita City Councilman Bob Kellar.

“What a privilege it is to be a part of the recognition of the new Samuel Dixon Board,” said Kellar. “They do such a phenomenal job in our community.”

The Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers was established in 1980 and named for long-time Val Verde resident and minister, the late Reverend Samuel Dixon. A nonprofit community health center, the Dixon Centers serve the greater Santa Clarita Valley. The mission of the Dixon Centers is to provide primary health care services and health education to unserved and underserved residents, with a special emphasis on serving the uninsured.

The Dixon Centers have three facilities in the SCV. The health centers are located in Val Verde, Canyon Country and Newhall.

The evening installation began with a welcome from Bolden, the returning board president.

“I’m having so much fun as board president,” said Bolden. “This is a volunteer board of exciting people doing exciting things. I’m looking forward to having another fabulous year at Sam Dixon.”

Mike Fisher, vice president of the Sam Dixon board and a trustee of the Elks Lodge, spoke about the long relationship between the two organizations.

“I was asked to speak about why Sam Dixon and the Elks seem to have this perfect fix,” he said. “Both organizations are completely dedicated to the community that we live in.”

Fisher said the Elks are a community-based, nationwide fraternal organization dedicated to charity.

“The Elks really benefit the communities that they live in,” said Fisher. “Sam Dixon is committed to the health care of the people in the community. The mandate of the national Elks organization is to ‘Do what you can do for your community.’”

The Canyon Country Elks Lodge has held a roast of notable community figures to benefit the Sam Dixon Centers for the past 10 years. Roasted have included Bob Kellar, Jay Thomas, Wayne Crawford, Tom Veloz, Cameron Smyth and Bob Hudson.

The roasts help fund services provided by the Dixon Centers, including a full range of health care services — physicals, immunizations and vaccines, screenings and diagnostic tests, well baby care and family planning — for those who may not seek health care elsewhere, said Cheryl Laymon, executive director of the Dixon Centers.

“Patients pay based on their income. This past year, Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers provided services for 10,000 patient visits,” Laymon said.

Gloria Rodriguez, former CEO of the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County, served as the keynote speaker.

“We have a lot of opportunities because of coming health care reform,” said Rodriguez. She also acknowledged the challenges presented by the state of California budget crisis.

“We’re really going to be challenged here in Los Angeles county to provide a viable safety net system while we move into health care reform,” she said.

Rodriguez presented an in-depth summary of health care reform issues.

“It is important for all board members to have a solid base of knowledge to work from as we develop plans for carrying out the organization’s mission,” said Bolden. “The strategic planning process will help us do this, and we are very happy to have had someone with Gloria Rodriguez’s knowledge and experience to share in this process with us.”

Health care services are available at the Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers in Val Verde Health Center (661) 257-4008, the Canyon Country Health Center (661) 424-1220 and the Newhall Health Center (661) 291-1777. For more information, visit www. sdfhc.org.