From Aggieland to Chester: A New Clinic Takes Shape

By Jordan Wilson

CHESTER, Texas - A new healthcare option is on its way to Chester, marking a major step forward for local families who have long traveled out of town for routine medical needs. A community clinic, constructed by students at Texas A&M University, will be installed next to the bank on Highway 287 and is projected to arrive in February 2026. The facility will initially operate two to three days a week and will be led by family nurse practitioner Timber Wright, a Chester native and graduate of Chester High School. During a dedication ceremony held this past Saturday in College Station, Wright said it was meaningful to return home in this role and described the level of care residents can expect. She explained, “This clinic gives us the opportunity to provide reliable, high-quality family medicine right here in Chester. We will care for patients from their earliest days through every season of life, and it is an honor to offer that to the community that shaped me.” She added that she looks forward to working closely with local families and helping ensure that consistent medical support is available close to home.

The ceremony in College Station marked the unveiling of six Texas Aggie Medical Clinics that will soon be placed in communities both in the United States and abroad. Clinics prepared this year are headed to Ukraine, Belize, Malawi, Massachusetts, Burton, Texas, and Chester, Texas. Each one carries the name of a fallen Aggie who exemplified service and dedication. The Chester clinic honors First Lieutenant Matthew Vandegrift, a United States Marine Corps officer known for his integrity, humility, and strong faith. Vandegrift was born in Houston in 1980, completed high school with honors in Leander, and later graduated from Texas A&M University with a perfect four point zero grade point average while serving in the Corps of Cadets. He went on to serve in Iraq, where he distinguished himself with courage and commitment. During the ceremony, speakers shared that he “never lived in the future or the past… he always lived in the present,” capturing the character of the man whose name will accompany the clinic that will serve Chester for years to come.

Chester was well represented at the dedication. Attendees included Pastor Jordan Wilson of Church in the Country; his wife Emily, who serves as Director of the Polk County Special Services Cooperative assisting Chester and neighboring rural districts with their special education needs; and their children Kennedi and Grant, both Chester students. They were joined by family nurse practitioner Timber Wright; recent Chester graduate Cutter Lowe; Chester ISD employee and Chester graduate Becki Byrd along with her daughter Lillie Byrd, a student at Chester High School; and Erika Akin with her daughters Virgie and Cheyenne from Church in the Country. Those present also had the unique opportunity to meet Reveille X, the well-known Texas A&M mascot and First Lady of Aggieland, who was a special guest at the event.

The clinic is being provided by BUILD, a student-led organization at Texas A&M University whose purpose is to bring students from across campus together through meaningful service projects. BUILD designs and constructs Texas Aggie Medical Clinics, which are forty-foot shipping containers transformed into modern medical offices. Each clinic contains private treatment rooms, laboratory testing space, and areas for patient triage, allowing them to function as fully capable rural healthcare sites. The Chester facility is one of the first of its kind to be placed in Texas and is being donated to the community.

Daily operations for the Chester clinic will be managed by Houston County Family Medical Clinic of Crockett, a medical provider known for its steady, patient-centered approach to wellness, chronic illness care, preventative services, and long-term patient support. Church in the Country is serving as the nonprofit partner for the project and will own both the building and the property on which the clinic sits. Pastor Jordan Wilson expressed how significant the clinic will be for the town, saying, “Our church is grateful to be involved in bringing this clinic to Chester. We intend to support it in every way we can so that it becomes a dependable and lasting resource for the people who live here. Access to local medical care is an important step forward, and we are also encouraged by the inclusion of mental health services, which rural communities often struggle to obtain. We have full confidence in Timber and in Houston County Family Medical Clinic’s ability to deliver excellent care.”

Church in the Country is located in Tyler County, five miles west of Woodville, and serves the surrounding region. More information about the church can be found at churchinthecountry.com.

With the clinic scheduled to arrive early next year, plans are underway for a community ribbon cutting once the building is set in place and the final preparations are complete. The project represents a meaningful investment in the health and wellbeing of Chester and stands as an example of what collaboration, service, and community pride can accomplish.