Health Center Offers “Corner of Hope” for Chollas View
San Diego icon Meb Keflezighi built excitement for the new Diamond Neighborhoods Family Health Center
By Andie Adams ••
A new health center is transforming part of Chollas View into a “corner of hope” for neighborhood families, and who better to extol the benefits of staying healthy than San Diego’s own Meb Keflezighi, the winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon.
The international running icon lent words of advice to the ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday for the Diamond Neighborhoods Family Health Center, where his sister served as its first physician.
“As an athlete or someone like you, being healthy is the success to life. If you’re not healthy, you can’t work the double shift or I can’t run a marathon,” said Keflezighi.
The nonprofit center has grown from a small storefront in a poor area to new, 23,000-square foot facility aimed at improving the health of its community – and not just medically. On top of 40 booths offering health information and activities Saturday, organizers gave families free school backpacks to encourage learning in the neighborhood.
“My goal is one or ten of these kids will be here working at this hospital or expanding it. That’s hopefully the goal because education is the key to life,” Keflezighi told NBC 7.
Keflezighi believes it takes a village to raise a child, and the center’s Chief of Security Willie Newton is a testament to that.
He shared his story with the crowd Saturday, describing how a liquor store once occupied the corner of 47th and Market streets where the Diamond Center now sits. His mother was a frequent patron of the store, getting drunk and passing out on the front steps.
As he walked home from school in his teenage years, Newton would pick his mom up and carry her home. Years later, when the liquor store was demolished, he applied to work in security for the health center that took its place.
“They were going to turn a corner of hopelessness into a corner of hope to help my friends and neighbors and all the kids like me who are just trying to get by,” Newton said.
AP
Meb Keflezighi, of San Diego, Calif., breaks the tape to win the 118th Boston Marathon Monday, April 21, 2014 in Boston.
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Meb Keflezighi of the United States reacts after coming in first place in the 2014 B.A.A. Boston Marathon on April 21, 2014
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Meb Keflezighi becomes emotional after winning the 118th Boston Marathon.
Meb Keflezighi poses with Rita Jeptoo after the 2014 Boston Marathon.
For Olympic runner Meb Keflezighi the running all began at San Diego High School.
NBC 7, courtesy Meb Keflezighi
Meb was a refugee from Eritrea who made it to the U.S. when he was 12 years old.
Meb coming in first place at a dual meet against Lincoln High School
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Meb Keflezighi holds the United States' national flag aloft as he approaches the finish line in the Men's Marathon on Day 16 of the London 2012 Olympic Games in the Mall.
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Meb Keflezighi of the USA crosses the finish line to win the mens during the 40th ING New York City Marathon on November 1, 2009 in New York City.
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Meb Keflezighi of the USA celebrates with his family after finishing first in the marathon in 2009.
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Meb Keflezighi of the USA celebrates after winning the 40th ING New York City Marathon on November 1.
NBC 7 San Diego
Keflezighi said he enjoyed running past his former local schools and past homes during the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in 2013.
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HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 14: (L-R) Dathan Ritzenhein, Ryan Hall, Meb Keflezighi and Abdi Abdirahman compete in the U.S. Marathon Olympic Trials January 14, 2012 in Houston, Texas.
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Meb Keflezighi celebrates after winning the men's U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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U.S. Olympian Meb Keflezighi celebrates after winning the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon with a time of 1:03:11 on June 3, 2012
Meb's former coach shared a scrapbook of photos with NBC 7 in 2009.
Meb as a freshman at the state CIF finals in Fresno
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Meb Keflezighi celebrates winning the men's 10000 Meter Run during the U.S. Olympic Team Track & Field Trials on July 9, 2004
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Keflezighi seen here in an image from August 2012.
California Department of Fish and Game
Another photo of Meb from his early days of competition.
Brian Bahr /Allsport, Getty Images
Meb Keflezighi runs easily during the Men's 10 K Finals Event of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials.
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Keflezighi is known to many in the San Diego running community.
After the CIF finals in Fresno in 1993 (Meb is on the far right)
Meb as a freshman at the state CIF finals in Fresno
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Meb Keflezighi.
Now, the Chollas View facility works to give healthcare to uninsured, low income and medically underserved patients. The Diamond Center is part of the Family Health Centers of San Diego (FHCSD), which hosts clinics and programs from El Cajon to Mission Beach.
The $13 million cost of this project, which technically opened in March, was paid for by a grant authorized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the federal New Market Tax Credit program and the FHCSD. Other foundation grants went toward providing equipment for the Diamond Center.
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