STEUBENVILLE — Within a small building along South Street sits a place of hope.
Now, almost 20 years later, the Ohio Valley Health Center is still going strong, tirelessly working for the sake of others, encouraging those who seek its help to never lose their faith.
On Thursday, the health center celebrated its third-annual holiday open house, inviting the community to tour its clinic and to experience the warmth that fills the facility.
Guests — many of them patients — were welcomed by staff members dressed in their holiday finery, wearing festive attire in cheerful shades of red and green.
The spirit of the season was evident in every corner, as practically every door inside the building had been transformed for Christmas. It was a friendly competition, with guests invited upon arrival to take a ballot and vote for their favorite themes among the 25 competitors.
Executive Director Ann Quillen noted the creativity was clever and fun.
“People really stepped it up this year,” she said, noting local businesses and nonprofit organizations joined staff members in the contest, vying for titles like Best Overall, Most Creative and Funniest.
The first door on the tour set the tone for the entire event.
It posed a simple, yet profound question to passersby: What brings you joy?
The word “joy” was spelled out in large letters, inviting everyone to take a marker and write down what brings them happiness. The responses were as varied as they were touching, including “Jesus,” “my children,” “family,” “my dog,” and “laughter and chocolate.” One particularly heartwarming addition read “Being Santa!” penned by Chris Orris, the community liaison with Valley Hospice who portrays the jolly character during the season.
Other doors featured scenes ranging from snowmen and wreaths to Peanuts characters and the classic moment where Slick gets his tongue stuck to a frozen flagpole in “A Christmas Story.”
But behind the ribbons and paper snowflakes lies a deep commitment to service.
Quillen originally began the event to give the community a chance to see exactly what the clinic offers.
“We want people to know where we are located, see the work that we do and break bread with them,” she explained.
For approximately 20 years, the center has been a lifeline for the uninsured and underinsured, providing diagnostic testing, cancer screenings, prescription assistance, case management, food supplements and transportation aid.
And the impact of this work is staggering.
“Since our doors opened in 2006, we have had more than 30,000 patient care visits,” Quillen shared, emphasizing this number reflects the volume of care provided.
By the end of 2025 the center will have provided $2 million in free health care. Remarkably, that figure is for this year alone. It is a feat accomplished without any federal funding. The doors remain open solely through donations, grants and the annual gala, which generates about 35 percent of the clinic’s income.
Quillen noted the OVHC will celebrate its 20th milestone at the next gala on April 26.
The community’s appreciation was evident during the open house.
Attendance soared this year, with Quillen noting that at least 50 visitors stopped by within the first two hours alone, a significant increase from the 80 attendees last year.
Many guests even took the opportunity to offer end-of-the-year donations.
In the spirit of fellowship, all who came were asked to share in an array of homemade foods, including meatballs, pulled pork sandwiches, artichoke dip, cheeses, vegetables and desserts.
The event was truly a community effort.
Among those who decorated doors were the Ohio Valley Health Center; Capital Health Care Network; Good News; Apollo Professional Cleaning; Southern Care Hospice; Valley Hospice; Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce;A and B Pharmacy; staff members Connie Buydasz and Quillen; the Jefferson County General Health District; Interstate Waste; Indian Creek; Wintersville Methodist Church; Vanessa Palmer; United Way of Jefferson County; Urban Mission Ministries; Trinity Health System; Steubenville High School; Our Place; Dixon Health Care Center; staff members Janet Bischof and Juliett Hamilton; and staff member Mike Hauber.