The Redwood City/San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce has awarded its 2009 Golden Apple Award to PAMF for the physical exams Dr. Richard Greene provides at no cost to some Redwood City student athletes.

To participate in high school athletics in San Mateo County, all students must have a pre-participation physical. For most, this is no big deal. However, for some students, this can be a significant barrier to competing in high school sports.

Dr. Greene, a pediatrician at PAMF's Palo Alto Center, helps these students complete their athletic program paperwork by providing on-site physicals at Sequoia High School in Redwood City two to three times per year.

Dr. Greene says he began providing the physicals more than 30 years ago as a favor to his friend and mentor, Coach Ben Parks. Dr. Greene sees about 15 students per year, which means that over the years, he has helped more than 400 teens at Sequoia High School and Menlo-Atherton High School, where Coach Parks worked before coming to Redwood City.

"I am really happy PAMF got recognized because the Foundation does so much for so many people in the community," says Dr. Greene, who accepted the award on behalf of PAMF. "Providing physicals is just a little part of our community effort that I was able to do."

Physicians and athletic trainers across PAMF make similar contributions all year long, such as providing free athlete physicals and on-site athletic trainers for many high schools.

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