Memorial stone honor Miranda
BRAWLEY — Clinicas de Salud del Pueblo here recently made an addition to its clinic that will stand the test of time in honor of a former board president whose accomplishments and beliefs have continued since his passing in December of 2015.
A memorial stone in honor of the late Miguel C. Miranda was constructed outside its facility and a revealing ceremony took place Thursday night.
The former councilmember and public figure was honored by Clinicas for his time spent on its board and as its board president for a number of years.
“For me personally, Miguel and Clinicas go hand-inhand,” explained Clinicas de Salud Board President Rusty Garica. “He had been on the board for well over 15 years and board president for most of the time. We just wanted to give back to his family with the dedication of the stone. It’s going to be here forever and Miguel is going to be in Clinicas’ hearts forever as well.”
Miranda also acted as a city councilman between 2009 and 2013, was a member of Hidalgo Society for 30 years and was an active volunteer for local youth sports and countless charities.
The dedication ceremony consisted of an invocation presented by Sacred Heart Church Deacon Don Spinney, remarks from Brawley Mayor Sam Couchman and concluded with the boulder unveiling by the family of Miranda.
The memorial stone placed outside the Clinicas facility, located at 900 Main St., reads “El Amigo de la Comunidad,” which perfectly describes Miranda, noted Garcia.
“He was a friend of the community, especially the community of Brawley,” recalled Garica. “He was the person that would literally give you the shirt off your back if you needed it.”
Thursday’s unveiling ceremony drew in friends, family and loved ones from around Imperial Valley not to mourn the death of Miguel, but to celebrate his many accomplishments and contributions.
Among those in attendance was Clinicas de Salud’s Chief Executive Officer Yvonne Bell, who also gave an opening speech in the ceremony.
“I felt very comfortable here because everyone was here with the intent of paying respect to a wonderful human being,” described Bell. “He was a wonderful man. I could actually feel the love and affection that everybody had for Miguel. It really was a time of celebration, a time of dedication to a remarkable man.”
One of Miranda’s most memorable accomplishments was growing Clinicas from a $350,000 organization to $48 million under his leadership with the intention of helping those in need, noted Bell.
“He was an advocate and a community member that really was concerned about the well-being of residents,
not only in Brawley but in the Imperial County,” remembered Bell. “His advocacy included the well-being and the need for healthcare services in the underserved or low-income. He was committed to ensuring that anybody that needed healthcare services had access to it. That was one barrier Miguel wanted to eliminate.”
To Garica, Miranda was much more than just a colleague.
The two had done
many community events together prior to working at Clinicas together, and it was Miranda that invited the current president to join the Board.
“Once he passed, I felt a need to try to fill the shoes that he left behind, which is tough because the whole Clinicas de Salud family loved him as well as the rest of the city,” stated the current board president.
Being at the ceremony gave Garcia a time to reflect on the life of
Miranda, both on their time with Clinicas and outside of it.
“Miguel was my compadre, my best friend,” said Garcia. “We chose a stone because it would be there forever. Pictures come and go and can break but he’s now a part of the clinic itself.”
A request was also approved by Brawley City Council in a 5-0 vote in October to build a stage at Hinojosa Park in honor of Miranda.