A longtime advocate for expanding access to healthcare in Berks County has been recognized with a statewide honor.
Gary Rightmire, a board member at Berks Community Health Center (BCHC), received the APEX Award for Board Excellence and Service from the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers at the organization’s recent annual conference. The award is given to individuals and teams whose service and leadership reflect outstanding achievement in primary health care.
Rightmire’s career began in social work and led to his role as executive director of the Department of Public Welfare’s Berks County Board of Assistance, where he served from 1979 to 2007. In that position, he worked with local providers to expand access to care for residents on Medical Assistance.
Over the past five decades, Rightmire has also volunteered with numerous community organizations, including the United Way, FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Board, Berks Encore, Opportunity House, TASC, and Reading Area Community College.
His work was central to the establishment of Berks Community Health Center. As co-chair of the Access to Health Care Committee formed by the Berks County Medical Society, he helped lay the groundwork for the center’s creation. He later served as board chair during its development between 2011 and 2015 and has remained active on the board in various leadership roles, including chairing its strategic planning committee.
“Gary’s vision and dedication laid the foundation for BCHC’s mission,” said Mary Kargbo, CEO of Berks Community Health Center, in a statement. “This recognition reflects his lifelong commitment to improving the health and well-being of our community.”
