Times-Journal writer

Though some shelves still lay bare and a couple of boxes have been left unpacked in his office, Dr. Bruce Taylor and his staff at Taylor Internal Medicine of Selma have completed the short move to a new location on Vaughan Memorial Drive.

On Aug. 30, Taylor Internal Medicine re-opened in the former Selma Pediatrics building behind the old Vaughan hospital just off Dallas Avenue.

To celebrate the move, and let citizens know about the new location, Taylor Internal Medicine is hosting an open house this Saturday from noon until 3 p.m.

Along with refreshments courtesy of Rio’s Restaurant, the event will also include both the Selma High School and Southside High School marching bands.

U.S. Congressman Artur Davis, D-Birmingham, is also scheduled to make a short appearance.

“The new building offers more space, expanded services and a bigger lab,” Taylor said. “The move also really improved morale among the staff significantly.”

The move also allowed Taylor to purchase a new machine to help patients suffering from low back and neck pain.

“The new machine helps about 75 to 80 percent of back and neck pains,” Taylor said. “It also helps a little with carpal tunnel syndrome.”

Inviting the public to his new office is just one aspect of many community involvement activities Taylor has been a part of since coming to Selma.

After the major success of his health fair held at the Selma Mall this summer, Taylor is now working towards providing health education to residents year-round.

Taylor is developing a non-profit organization devoted to promoting diabetes awareness.

“The Black Belt has the highest diabetic rate in the country, but everybody seems to know that except the people who live here,” Taylor said. “Because of the diabetic rate here, people are looking for avenues to give money to projects that increase prevention and awareness.”

In his new office building, Taylor plans to use some of the extra rooms to create classrooms for health education.

“The goal is to not duplicate anything else that is being done,” Taylor said. “Being active in the community is part of what we (medical professionals) are supposed to do.”

Once the non-profit group becomes operational, Taylor says he will devote time to visiting schools and attending functions in order to educate the public.

Taylor said promoting free, health-orientated events is fun for him, just as long as he can see people actually benefiting from the programs.

One of his next scheduled events will be on Nov. 6, when the staff of Taylor Internal Medicines will host a talent show at Pickard Auditorium to raise food for the local food bank.

The talent show would be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and is free to anyone who brings a canned good.

Anyone interested in participating in the talent show should contact Taylor’s office at 874-8800.