Tri County Health Care Groundbreaking

groundbreaking A new era of health care in Wadena

Gracious giving

Location, location

Family friendly

Business profile

Impressive donations already coming in.

Buildings have seen constant change in the life of Tri-County Health Care.

Longtime employees of Tri-County Health Care share what’s kept them there.

Kern & Tabery hard at work preparing the ground for construction.

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Published by the Wadena Pioneer Journal | June 10, 2021

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Construction has officially begun on the rural health care center of the future.

As construction staff and contractors start building the new facility, we feel it’s important to document its progression. The old farmstead just outside of Wadena has been cleared, replaced with heavy machines ripping and roaring throughout the landscape. Each pile of dirt moved, every tree uprooted, every nail driven, pushes our community toward a new era of health care. Soon, citizens of Wadena and beyond will have even more opportunities for better living.

Please join us in reflecting on the past endeavors of Tri-County Health Care while we look toward the future. This will be the first of several special sections covering the building process.

A new era in health care JOEL BEISWENGER Tri-County Health Care President & CEO

Building a new facility is one of the crowning achievements of my professional life. I’ve reflected on the time I’ve invested in this organization and what it means to the area. My entry into this industry started with the first large addition to the then-new hospital in Wadena. That was way back in 1987 and things have changed a lot since. I have been around to observe the evolution of Tri-County Health Care, from a modest health care center to a thriving medical organization with many primary care and specialty service offerings. I never want it to stop; I want us to continue to grow and innovate. Wadena and the surrounding area deserve the best patient experience possible and this new facility will provide just that.

Tri-County Health Care has seen many additions, renovations and redesigns. It had become a bit of a running joke: “When will Tri-County ever be done building? Probably never.” All of these projects have made us uniquely qualified to lead Tri-County Health Care into the brave new future. However, every project has its hiccups and we’ve seen our fair share. The last few years have certainly taught my staff and I about the value of resilience.

This project is massive. Although I do have experience building new facilities, this one goes beyond anything I’ve done in the past. Purchasing the land, extending utilities, and assisting with the design of the rural health care center of the future has been one of the most exciting but challenging things I’ve ever done.

The pandemic has forced everyone to ask the question, what is really important in the arena of health care?

Anyone who has taken on a project like this is all too familiar with the pitfalls. One of the most challenging hurdles has been securing financing. With a multimillion-dollar project, it’s easy to run into issues on the financial side of things. Imagine the challenges encountered when getting a small business or home loan and multiply that by 100. With the added uncertainty the pandemic brought and the strain on financial channels, I’m proud to say everything worked out.

An organization of our size requires a certain level of flexibility as we continue to grow. This new facility and the land it’s being built on will allow us to expand and build more easily. No longer landlocked, we can build outward as our future dictates. There is even room for more buildings. This new site will ease our growing pains as we continue to assimilate new staff and patients into the Tri-County family.

New buildings are great, but in the end, no amount of fancy masonry or polished glass will replace the people and the culture. I find it interesting when employees Tri-County Health Care President and CEO Joel Beiswenger leave Tri-County Health Care for other opportunities Photos courtesy Tri-County Health Care and they often come back saying they miss their Doing this during a pandemic was not always pleasant. co-workers and our top-tier approach to creating a family-like atmosphere at work. As we find our new I like to find the silver lining in situations like this.

The pandemic allowed us to learn more about airborne home, our culture will remain the same.

Tri-County Health Care is about people and putting illnesses and we used this knowledge to rethink our air filtration system to allow for an even safer environment. your care before anything else.

Tri-County Health Care builds for the future

BY REBECCA MITCHELL rmitchell@wadenapj.com

“When will Tri-County stop building?”

While Tri-County Health Care President and CEO Joel Beiswenger said likely never, the groundbreaking of the new health care center, Friday, May 21, on Highway 10 is a big step for their future.

Plus, the new site has acres of room to expand.

After remodeling the Highway 71 hospital in 2006 and continual projects through 2017, the need for change

with the facility to address health care differences became apparent, as Beiswenger shared about Tri-County Health Care’s history during the groundbreaking ceremony.

The health care center will be a 125,900-square-foot building with newly designed patient rooms, technology and integrated specialty, rehab and primary care clinics. The location, on a former farmstead with nearby wetlands, is meant to bring peace and tranquility as well as easy access.

“I come with many emotions, joy and

elation first of all that we’ve actually been able to bring our vision to fruition; relief that we were able to get it done and get through all of the roadblocks that we encountered; and great pride in all of the people that did this great work,” Beiswenger said. “And of course much thankfulness.”

The project was suspended in April 2020 due to the pandemic, though the project resumed in July 2020 with funding finalized in May 2021. With a slated 2023 opening, the added time brings the Highway 71 hospital to 49

years of operation—the same length of operation as the former hospital, Wesley Hospital, as Beiswenger noted.

As health care has adapted, the center is set to continue meeting patients’ needs for many generations. The health care concepts now more broadly include working on the social determinants of health such as poverty, poor diet, lack of exercise, lack of good jobs, poor access to education, untreated mental health conditions and substance abuse, as chief medical officer Dr. Ben Hess said.

BUILDING FUTURE: page 4

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“I come with many emotions, joy and elation first of all that we’ve actually been able to bring our vision to fruition; relief that we were able to get it done and get through all of the roadblocks that we encountered; and great pride in all of the people that did this great work. And of course much thankfulness.”

- Tri-County Health Care President and CEO Joel Beiswenger

Throwing the ceremonial scoop of dirt are Tri-County Health Care President and CEO Joel Beiswenger (from left) Jolene Johannes, Terry Louwagie, Steph Larson, Ben Hess, George Deiss, John Poston and Terry Davis.

BUILDING FUTURE: from page 3

“The social determinants of health will not be solved by fancy new buildings but they will be solved by the caring people inside that building and the hard work of our communities,” Hess said. “This will in turn transform a community into a healthy environment that people will want to raise their families in and start their businesses in and make a new life for themselves.”

Patient needs are also more outpatient these days, which is a shift from the in-patient focus that the Highway 71 location was built for. But the facility changes don’t change the focus of staff on their patients. Registered nurse Stephanie Larson said Tri-County staff are “compassionate” and are like a second family to her.

“It’s (the new center) going to allow us to be able to take care of our patients, and with the most updated technology,” Larson said. “It’s just going to be so nice to have the beautiful facility just to be able to know that those rooms, everything in there, we took that time to really make sure that it was patient-facing.”

The hospital is also expected to continue the economic growth in Wadena, as State House of Representatives District 9A Rep. John Poston and Wadena Mayor George Deiss noted.

“The importance of a hospital to a

In the months leading up to the groundbreaking ceremony, Tri-County Health Care staff signed shovels and hard hats adding some color to the exciting day.

community, you can’t even put a price on that,” Deiss said.

Mortenson Construction is stationed on scene across from Hickory Street, where they have set up an office and parking area. Mortenson market executive Joanna Slominski said the company looks forward to partnering with the community on this project as they will be working on this site over the next three years.

“Very important to us is the engagement of the local community, so we have been working with the local trade partners,” Slominski said. “You’ll see Kern and Tabery on site here and you’ll see a lot of other locals. So it’s so exciting to see the engagement of that, what we’re doing to bring back to the community.”

Most ground was already broken at the time of the groundbreaking ceremony May 21, 2021. Mortenson Construction has set up an office area on site to accommodate their stay over the next few years.

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Then and now: Tri-County through the ages

BY TRI-COUNTY HEALTH CARE The history of Tri-County Health Care is carefully archived in the pages of the Wadena Pioneer Journal. Within the tightly set pages of old newspapers, stories of doctors, nurses, and business innovators paint the picture of a small hospital that would become a thriving epicenter for healthier living. Looking back and reflecting on the old makes us appreciate the present while looking forward to the future.

Wesley Hospital of Wadena

In the early 1900s, citizens of Wadena were in desperate need of medical care. Sickness and death were all too common, with the flu ravaging the community in 1918. During this time, health care was administered out of private residences and converted homes. The need for better medical services sparked talks of a new hospital. A committee of prominent citizens and Wadena’s Methodist Church stepped in to facilitate the project.

The new hospital would serve all people regardless of race, creed, or background. It would be a hospital for everyone, and thus it needed to be funded by the people it would serve. The committee set out to raise money for the facility via donations. They set a goal of $50,000 and in July 1922, they had raised $35,767.

By 1923, construction was well underway. Crews worked feverishly to put up the frame of the building. It became apparent that construction was costing more than anticipated, and soon, organizers were leading fundraising campaigns to furnish specific rooms of the hospital. Ultimately, the project required a $30,000 loan to finish construction. On Jan. 30 1925, Wesley Hospital of Wadena opened its doors, marking the beginning of many new additions and building projects to come.

THROUGH THE AGES: page 6

The Wesley Hospital has seen change over the years but still stands strong across from the current facility as it has since 1925.

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Upon the unveiling of the new hospital in 1974: “The new hospital came with a variety of amenities like a pharmacy, cafeteria, and medicine cabinets in each hospital room. Each room even came with a television and air conditioner. A private room cost $49 and $46 for a double room.”

Tri-County Health Care’s current facility has grown and remodeled many times since it opened back in 1974.

THROUGH THE AGES: from page 5

Tri-County Hospital

Wesley Hospital marched on with thousands of patients admitted over the years. It would endure the depression, near bankruptcy, revitalization, and expansion. However, medical science moves quickly. Soon, the facility became worn and dated. Expansion opportunities were limited and leaders were aware the building couldn’t keep up with the ever changing landscape of technology and medicine. The board and the people of Wadena needed a new hospital.

The board began the planning phases for a new 43,000 square foot hospital. The project ended up costing an estimated $2.1 million and accommodated 56 beds. Capital campaigns targeted community members and on Aug. 2, 1972, the team broke ground across the street from the Wesley Building. A nurse’s quarters previously occupied the land. Amid construction, the group decided to build a clinic adjacent to the new hospital.

On Jan. 6, 1974, crowds of Wadena citizens attended an open house at the new building. They braved the biting cold to see the new hospital that was constructed without any tax funding.

The new hospital came with a variety of amenities like a pharmacy, cafeteria,

and medicine cabinets in each hospital room. Each room even came with a television and air conditioner. A private room cost $49 and $46 for a double room. On Sept. 1, 1974, shortly after the transition to the new building, the board of directors changed the name to TriCounty Hospital.

A rural health care center of the future

The current facility has seen numerous remodels and revisions. Tri-County Health Care continues to look at ways to improve, which has included several new additions. Space has been dwindling and opportunities to continue building have been stifled. In 2019, initial planning began on a new cutting-edge facility.

Looking for available land was a challenge. After much deliberation, senior leadership decided on a patch of land just outside of Wadena. The land was occupied by an old farmhouse just off Highway 10. The spot would allow for a new hospital and future business growth.

The $72 million facility will come equipped with a bevy of new features.

The new building will be home to larger, more technologically advanced exam rooms making for a more efficient clinic space. Plus, it will feature enhanced patient privacy for a better overall experience. The new building will also have a stronger emphasis on outpatient

care. Everything about the new hospital and clinic will reinforce better living practices.

COVID-19 became a significant obstacle to the progression of the project.

The project was paused while Tri-County Health Care focused on managing the pandemic. Fortunately, in July 2020, planning resumed with newfound vigor.

A critical evaluation of the building plan took place. Leadership made adjustments based on information gathered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequent months were devoted to final details on brick types and building materials.

The excitement continued to grow until finally, in the spring of 2021, the final steps of the organization process were in sight. On May 21, a small groundbreaking ceremony was held

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at the site of the highly anticipated rural health care center of the future.

President and CEO, Joel Beiswenger and a small group of special guests broke ground as an audience of Wadena citizens and Tri-County Health Care staff watched via livestream.

The future This new building was born from the need to provide top-tier care, much like how Tri-County Health Care’s journey started a century ago with the construction of the Wesley Building.

The building process will be carefully chronicled and shared on Tri-County Health Care’s website and various social media channels. Please visit TCHC.org/ build2023 for regular updates.

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Giving it your all: Fundraising and foundation work continues Funds so far:

The Tri-County Health Care Foundation has amassed $2,090,000. Employee donations account for more than $750,000 of the total amount raised so far.

Notable donations ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

Wadena State Bank - $250,000 Jack and Alvida Browne Foundation - $100,000 TCHC Foundation - $350,000 Otto Bremer Trust - $300,000 Wadena Medical Center Physicians - $100,000 Tri-Giving Employee Partners - $132,000 Dr. Shaneen and Kent Schmidt - $75,000 Ameriprise and Michael and Marian Craig- $50,965 Dr. John and Ann Pate - $50,000 Joel and Kim Beiswenger - $50,000 Mid-Central National Bank - $50,000 1st National Bank Henning, Ottertail, Battle Lake - $50,000

Community donation and the road to $3 million The Foundation is now past the halfway point. With ground finally broken, the next phase of fundraising will commence. Damlo and his team are seeking donations from everyone in the community and surrounding area. If you would like to make a donation to the new building project, please contact Ryan Damlo via phone at 218632-8148. Donations can also be made via email at ryan.damlo@tchc.org or at TCHC. org/foundation.

Ryan Damlo, executive director of the Tri-County Health Care Foundation.

BY TRI-COUNTY HEALTH CARE Building a new facility of any kind invites an array of challenges. Financing is just one of many issues. When the word of a new building project first spread, many were left asking how they would pay for it? Will our taxes go up? Do we need a new hospital? Tri-County Health Care approached the financial hurdles in a variety of ways. One of the most effective means of generating capital for such a project is fundraising, both internally and externally.

The process kicked off in 2019 with Ryan Damlo, executive director of the Foundation, leading the charge for donations. This process was kept internal and amongst key organizations. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic halted these fundraising efforts. In fact, many were wondering if the new building project would resume at all. Fortunately, fundraising and the project did resume in July 2020. Damlo quickly set an ambitious goal of $3 million. This “quiet” phase of fundraising continued to focus on internal staff and prominent members of the community. The goal of hitting half of the fundraising total before groundbreaking was reached.

“310 donors so far, most of which have been employees. 25 community members and local businesses have already pledged or made their donations with many more to come in,” explained Damlo.

So far, the Foundation has amassed $2,090,000. Employee donations account for more than $750,000 of the total amount raised so far. According to Damlo, Tri-County Health Care has a strong commitment to philanthropy, with internal staff consistently stepping up to contribute. This drive for funding on the inside often encourages external donations.

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“We always joke as the earthwork people that we’re the first people in and the last to leave. We’re hitting it hard for 1-2 months to get ready for pouring concrete, then we’ll maintain roads for cranes and concrete trucks, and be back to build the gravel road and eventually finish topsoil work for the final landscaping in 2022.”

- Ryan Tabery, Kern & Tabery VP

Earth moving equipment was set up at the site of the groundbreaking ceremony Friday, May 21, 2021.

Kern & Tabery: Local business prepares the site for the future of health care COURTESY TRI-COUNTY HEALTH CARE While driving down Highway 10, it’s impossible to ignore the drastic changes taking place at the future home of Tri-County Health Care. What was once a simple farmstead is now the beginning stages of construction on a health care facility that will serve thousands of people. Buildings have been removed, trees taken down and earth moved. One may think, who is behind this massive undertaking? Well, it may be interesting to hear that it’s a local and homegrown business – Kern & Tabery.

Kern & Tabery knows a thing or two about serving the local communities. They have been in the business dating back to 1953 when Simon Kern and his son-in-law, Don Tabery, started the business. Names and faces have changed over the years, but two things have not – the company has stayed in the family and remained local.

Don’s kids – Ken, Keith and Kevin – purchased his share of the business in 2000.

Simon retired in 1991, leaving his share of the business to his son Frank. When Frank passed suddenly in 2008, his son, Brad, stepped up. When Kevin retired in 2020, his nephew Ryan purchased his shares of the business and now serves as vice president next to Brad. Throughout the years, several of the Kern & Tabery kids worked for the family business in the summers.

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TCHC GROUNDBREAKING

Site work by Kern & Tabery has been extensive and really ramped in recent weeks in preparation for construction to start at the site.

(Left) Brad Kern, president and (right) Ryan Tabery, vice president of Kern & Tabery in Wadena.

Projects have changed over the years as the company adapted and expanded.

Kern & Tabery boasts the ability to manage and complete a wide range of projects – large and small. Formerly, they did a lot of mass grading for road construction, but now their staple is re-grading of existing roads for state and county entities. Other projects include mine reclamations in North Dakota, constructing city lagoons and water treatment facilities and projects like driveways for private residences.

Then there is, of course, the large local project for Tri-County Health Care. Kern & Tabery’s bid consisted of demolition of existing buildings, clearing out all the trees, mass grading, stripping the black dirt, cutting, filling and importing sand material to get to the designed elevations, putting in all the sewer piping, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, building the access roads, digging the footings and backfilling them, putting in the aggregate base for underneath the sidewalks, curbs, gutters and parking lots, and re-spreading all the topsoil and temporary seeding and mulching.

If that sounded like a lot of work, it’s because it is! This hospital project won’t be one where they come in, finish their work and move on to the next project.

The 10-12 people on the Kern & Tabery team assigned to the project will be there for the duration of the project.

“We always joke as the earthwork people that we’re the first people in and the last to leave,” said Ryan Tabery,

Kern & Tabery VP. “We’re hitting it hard for 1-2 months to get ready for pouring concrete, then we’ll maintain roads for cranes and concrete trucks, and be back to build the gravel road and eventually finish topsoil work for the final landscaping in 2022.”

While Kern & Tabery is located in Wadena, their projects send them to Montana, the Wisconsin border and everywhere in between. That means being on the road for several months out of the year. Completing a job that keeps them close to home and benefits the community makes the work extra special.

“We’re all WDC graduates and lived in this community our whole lives, so to be able to build this hospital for our community means a lot to us,” Ryan said. “We’re excited to be part of this important project and be able to say we played a part in it.”

Economic impact from construction The construction cost of Tri-County Health Care’s rural health care center of the future is budgeted for $61 million.

Based on nine employees per $1 million in construction cost, that means 550 people will receive wages and benefits as a result of this work, valued at over $19 million. As those wages and benefits are spent on goods, services and housing, over $43 million will be spent in our region above and beyond the cost of the construction.

Tri-County Health Care’s new facility is scheduled to open in the spring of 2023 and it has been estimated that 48 new

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jobs will be created. An additional $4.4 million in new wages, salaries and benefits will be added to the organization as it expands its service lines. As these dollars

cycle through the local economy, more than $9.6 million of incremental dollars will flow through various organizations and businesses every year.

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Tri-County Hospital Project

“The rural healthcare center of the future”

Follow the development of the healthcare center project in the timeline below.

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JUST WHAT THE PATIENT ORDERED A BETTER APPROACH TO PRIMARY CARE

At Tri-County Health Care, our primary care providers believe healthy relationships make everyone better. When you select a doctor from us, you get an entire team who becomes your health partners for life.

Specializing in care for all ages, our providers help you grow stronger in health—and coordinate care as your needs evolve. Trust compassionate care from a team of providers who remain focused on what matters most: helping you— and your family—live stronger, healthier lives.

Get to know our primary care team.

View our providers’ introductory videos at tchc.org/primarycare.

To make an appointment, call 218-631-3510.

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“ Providing excellent customer service is a priority in all areas at Tri-County.

We offer great, compassionate care and our new facility will give us the opportunity to grow our services to meet the needs of our patients! ”

“ I have stayed at Tri-County because the hospital is an important part of my life. It is an extension of my home and family.”

- Lois Miller, a 51 year employee of Tri-County Health Care

- Kathy Waln, Tri-County Health Care Business Office Manager

Tri-County Family: Staff members reflect on Tri-County’s past, present and future

BY TRI-COUNTY HEALTH CARE STAFF There have been many changes at Tri-County Health Care throughout the years. There are new and updated buildings, health care has evolved, and staff members have come and gone. Through all these changes, TriCounty has continued to adapt to serve patients better.

Over the years, there have been several staff members who have experienced many of these changes firsthand.

Tri-County has 27 employees with 35-plus years of service to the organization and the communities it serves. Each of them comes from different backgrounds and have served in various roles. They all share something in common; they have their own story to share. The three staff members with the most years of service shared their stories and journeys throughout their history at Tri-County.

Growing up in the shadows of Wesley Hospital

For Lois Miller, health care has always been front and center, figuratively and literally. She grew up right across the street from Wesley Hospital and recalls watching staff come and go each and every day.

Seeing and learning about their roles in the health care industry intrigued her so much that she decided to apply. Tri-County is the first organization she ever worked at, and she’s planning for it also to be her last!

Over the years, Lois continued her professional growth, becoming a registered nurse in the medical/

surgical unit and ICU before moving to a supervisor role from 1979-1992. She then moved to her role in cardiac rehab and has worked there ever since.

“I love working in cardiac rehab and doing stress testing,” Lois noted. “It is wonderful to see people improve both physically and mentally while going through their rehab.”

There isn’t a person more knowledgeable of the evolution of health care in Wadena. Lois recalls opening the first intensive care unit with its giant cardiac monitoring system. She remembers helping develop x-ray films in the darkroom, counting drips per minute until IV pumps came around, and even when patients had to go down the hall to use the restroom!

Lois will celebrate her 51st work anniversary on June 11. While she noted the new facility will help Tri-County grow and stay up-to-date, she can also look back fondly at her time working at each of the older buildings.

“I have stayed at Tri-County because the hospital is an important part of my life. It is an extension of my home and family,” Lois said. “It has helped that in my almost 51 years of working here, I have never had to drive to work!”

Finding a family and career at Tri-County

There may be no one better to ask than Kathy Waln when it comes to internal professional growth. She

has worn many different hats in her time, first with Wadena Medical Center and then Tri-County Health Care when the hospital and clinic merged in 2008.

Kathy has worked in medical records, data entry, billing/claims, provider credentialing and coding and has held titles as Business Office Supervisor and Patient Financial Services Director and is currently Tri-County’s Business Office Manager.

She will reach 47 years of employment in October and cherishes the opportunity to form lifelong friendships with people she can count on. That doesn’t happen without the support system Tri-County provides its staff.

“Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to try new things, learn, develop and advance,” Kathy said.

“I have been given opportunities here that I might not have had with other employers.”

She has also formed lifelong friendships with people she can count on in good times and the bad. That culture of caring carries over to patient care. The new facility will help continue to set up a quality staff for continued success.

“Providing excellent customer service is a priority in all areas at Tri-County,” Kathy said. “We offer great, compassionate care and our new facility will give us the opportunity to grow our services to meet the needs of our patients!”

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A reliable support system

When Pat Malvin was looking to move to the Wadena area, she applied to various hospitals. She accepted a job at Tri-County with the task of starting the respiratory therapy department program.

The department has seen many changes over the years, but Pat has remained the one constant.

She finished her 46th year in the department last April and has seen it come full circle. When she started in 1975, she was the lone respiratory therapist. There were times when they staffed up to five when they would provide services at nursing homes and oxygen for patients in their homes, but the department is now back to one respiratory therapist.

Pat says the most significant change in her time at Tri-County has been the shift from inpatient to outpatient. She noted when she started, it wasn’t uncommon to have 50-plus patients in the hospital. That shift will continue to advance in the new building, and she pointed to surgery as one of several examples.

“Things that used to be a big procedure can now be a same-day

“I have a real sense of loyalty to Tri-County because all throughout my husband’s illness – they supported me and gave me any time off I needed. I will always treasure the relationships I have made at Tri-County.”

- Pat Malvin, Tri-County Health Care respiratory therapist

surgery which has been incredible,” Pat said. “That has really changed why you don’t have as many inpatients because you can go home the same day and that makes a lot of difference in patient load.”

Pat has also stayed with TriCounty through thick and thin.

She found a reliable support system when her late husband was diagnosed with cancer when they were in their 20s. At that time, you had to travel for chemotherapy and radiation treatments and Pat needed to be gone from work. She always felt supported about needing to be gone, which became a major sticking point for her.

Even as Pat planned to retire early in 2020, when COVID-19 struck the world, she said she couldn’t in clear conscience leave because she was the only respiratory therapist. Her new retirement is now officially set for this June, but she will always be thankful for her time at Tri-County.

“I have a real sense of loyalty to Tri-County because all throughout my husband’s illness – they supported me and gave me any time off I needed,” she said. “I will always treasure the relationships I have made at Tri-County.”

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34685 US Hwy 71, Clarissa, MN 56440 “to be a leader in quality residential and support services for people with special needs, now and in the future.”

www.orhwv.com

Now Hiring!

Join Our Direct Care Team.

Providing client-centered care for people with developmental disabilities and mental health needs in a group home setting or cummunity based services.

We are an EOE employer

TCHC GROUNDBREAKING

14 | THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021

Memories of “ I have seen a lot of change in my 29 years as a physical therapist at Tri-County Health Care. When I started in 1992, the Rehab department consisted of two physical therapists and an aide. As time went on, we added a speech therapist and an occupational therapist. We moved from the current emergency department location to where Seip Drug now sits.

Then we moved to our current Rehab building across the parking lot from the hospital. Our staff and services have grown tremendously in these 29 years. We now employ 16 people in our department. We love having in-house orthopedics and it keeps us very busy. We look forward to a brand-new rehab department in the new building!”

Tri-County Health Care

“ I have personally seen 370 souls enter this world.

I have cared for thousands more in pregnancy and labor, but I have actually been in the room for 370 of them.”

- Sarah Riedel, OB Supervisor

“ My fellow workers are my family.

We spend more time with each other than our own biological families. I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to be with.

We laugh together, we cry together, we give hugs and encouragement when needed.”

“ I have been here for about six years.

I’m proud to be a part of the Tri-County Health Care culture work with our values training.

I see the difference it makes in our morale!”

- Jamie Udy, APRN, FNP

“ I started at Tri-County Health Care in March of 2020 right as COVID-19 was hitting and mask mandates were going into place. The family atmosphere and togetherness that Tri-County brings for staff and our community is incredible.

These last few years have been trying, and even when we have bad days, someone is always there to pick us up off the ground.

Over the last few months, I have been tasked with helping lead the COVID-19 vaccine clinics and it’s been so rewarding to help vaccinate the community. I am so grateful that all departments at Tri-County are willing to help pitch in with my vaccine clinics. Everyone is grateful to help during these strange times.”

- Abbey Truh, RN

OPENINGS NOW AVAILABLE

- Jennifer Marquedant, LPN

- Tim Sly, Physical Therapist

Assisted Living & Memory Care Suites *Programing designed for people with varying stages of dementia

* Restaurant Style Dining * Beauty Salon

* 3 daily meals provided * Medication Management * Weekly Shower Assistance

COMMUNITY FEATURES

* Daily Towel and * Basic Direct TV/ Garbage Service Internet WiFi Access * All Utilities * Daily Life Engaging (excluding telephone) Activity Program

AMENITIES

* RN Case Management * 24-Hour On-Site Trained Staff

* Personal Care Assistance * Personal Hygiene Assistance

110 Hemlock Ave NW, Wadena, MN 56482

218-632-3610

Visit us at www.meadowsofwadena.org

TCHC GROUNDBREAKING

THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021 | 15

We are a Community Bank proudly serving the hard working businesses in our area.

Here’s the bank’s participation record facilitating the PAYROLL PROTECTION PROGRAM (PPP Loans) ROUND ONE: - WSB processed $10.3 million forgivable PPP loans to 164 area businesses & individuals.

ROUND TWO: - WSB processed $6.1 million forgivable PPP loans to 334 area businesses & individuals.

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (SBA LOAN) - WSB processed $1.8 million dollars of

SBA loan payments for the benefit of our SBA loan customers.

“A SPECIAL THANKS”

WSB would like to thank the dedicated, hard-working, men and women of our area police and fire departments.

We recognize and appreciate your valuable service!

• BLUFFTON • DEER CREEK • WADENA

wadenastatebank.com

16 | THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021

TCHC GROUNDBREAKING