Our second day in southwest Virginia started with a hearty “thank you” for the hundreds of volunteers, dentists, doctors and nurses who run the Remote Area Medical “Mission of Mercy” in Wise County each year.

Thousands of uninsured and underinsured folks visit the annual RAM clinic at the Wise County fairgrounds to receive much-needed health care, as the Bristol Herald Courier reported:

Anyone who thinks the health care status quo is acceptable needs to visit RAM, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner said Saturday during his third or fourth trip to the free health clinic in Wise.

Patients visiting the Remote Area Medical event, a free health care clinic held annually at the Wise County Fairgrounds, numbered in the thousands, as about 1,500 people who can’t afford health insurance are seen daily. 

Warner, the former governor of Virginia, helped to put RAM and the Health Wagon, the organization that spearheads the free clinic, in the state budget during his 2002-06 term, said Theresa Gardner, the Health Wagon’s executive director.

“If it wasn’t for Warner, because he put the Health Wagon in the budget [to kick off the program], we couldn’t be here,” she said. “We really appreciate his support and need continued support.”

After leaving the Mission of Mercy event in Wise, Senator Warner traveled to Tazewell to mingle with folks attending the 21st annual Main Street Heritage Festival, and to speak to members of the community at a meeting sponsored by the Tazewell, Bluefield, and Richlands Chambers of Commerce.

We also took in the New River Valley Fair in Pulaski County, where Senator Warner called a game of bingo – “the only time you will ever get something for free from a politician,” he joked.

Senator Warner later attended a community roundtable and BBQ at the Draper Mercantile & Trading Company. Now housing the offices of the New River Retreat, the Draper Mercantile was built in 1883 and was recognized as the longest running store in Pulaski County. 

When finished, the “Merc” will host a farmer’s market, café serving local foods, a bookstore hosting musicians and artists, and will partner with organizations such as ‘’Round the Mountain: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Network,” and the Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail to expand cultural tourism and economic opportunities to Southwest Virginia.

After enjoying homemade ice cream and barbeque at the Merc, Senator Warner attended the 9th annual FloydFest – a four-day folk music festival that attracted nearly 15,000 fans this year.