Twins getting medical experience early

SPENCER, Tenn.- They travel for several hours with no guarantee they will be helped.

Entire families arrive the night before or early in the morning and spend the next few hours sleeping in their cars. In cold weather, some run their car heaters for short periods but usually keep warm with blankets.

At 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, they start receiving the treasured numbers for admittance. Then many wait all day, and some stay over Saturday night, hoping to see a doctor, dentist or eye specialist who, with assistance from volunteers, provides free medical care to needy people.

Late on Sunday, after about 1,000 patients have been seen, those left outside are given the disappointing news: No more services this time.

Among the 200 volunteers this past weekend and each month since January were Victor and Michael Cresenzo, 19-year-old twin sons of Randy and Julie Cresenzo of Eden.

They are involved in the Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corps, a nonprofit, volunteer, airborne relief corps dedicated to providing free health care, dental care, eye care, veterinary services, and technical and educational assistance to people in remote areas of the United States and the world.

Michael and Victor became involved with RAM shortly after enrolling as freshmen at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. RAM is headquartered in Knoxville, about 150 miles from the school.