That’s not a misprint! Almost 500 Giving Hearts from around the USA helped the ever-growing local 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, West River Health Services Foundation, raise $697,827 leading up to and on “Giving Hearts Day” this past February 9th. The fundraising and development arm for West River Health Services and Western Horizons Living Centers, the WRHS Foundation has been involved with Giving Hearts Day, by far the largest single day fundraiser in North Dakota, the last five consecutive years. The total amounts raised at WRHSF for each of those years was $147,440 in 2019; $191,672 in 2020; $220,670 in 2021; $216,227 in 2022; and now $697,827 in 2023! Wow! We guess it was a terrific idea to join this amazing platform – raising $1,473,836 in five years. We have exceeded our goals each and every year thus far. This year we exceeded goal #1 – by exceeding our matching funds of $100,000. Then we surpassed our goal #2 – to raise $250,000! We are grateful.
Of course, the three Roger Follmer Estate gifts totaling $475,000 (so far) have made a huge impact on this giving day for the WRHS Foundation. But even without those funds, our area giving hearts gave $222,827! And the two days following Giving Hearts we brought in another $9,388! Unbelievable! We are thinking our believers really want this healthcare system to thrive here.
Ted Uecker, Fund Development Officer at WRHS Foundation is amazed at the giving. “We are so grateful. Never in our wildest dreams did we think we’d be raising these types of funds in a community of 1,055 people and an area community of approximately 15,000. However, our reach is USA-wide and we still offer top-quality healthcare ‘close to home,’ which everyone here needs. As do visitors to our area. A few weeks ago we had a state representative from the eastern part of North Dakota as a patient here. She raved about our caring people and top-quality facilities and equipment.”
Although the $475,000 Follmer Estate Funds are currently sitting in an investment fund, the WRHS Foundation Board of Directors is diligently trying to figure out the best future use of these funds. We’ll be sure to keep the public informed during this process. The remaining Giving Hearts Day funds were mainly gifted toward our “Healthcare Heroes Endowment Fund,” although we also received many amazing gifts for our West River Ambulance, Physician Recruitment Endowment, Partners In Health Club, Western Horizons Living Centers, Surgery Center, WRHS Clinics and the General Fund.
Uecker also pointed out that it is truly a TEAM effort at the WRHS Foundation. “We have terrific support from our Administrative Staff to run with events like ‘Giving Hearts Night With The Nighthawks & Bulldogs.’ Plus, we’ve had tremendous contributions from Cindy Ham, Dr. John Kludt, Jill Sailer and our WRHS Board of Directors. And our local downtown merchants continually step up to promote our efforts and give. It seems like if people have a connection to West River or the Hettinger area, they realize how important this organization is to our area community. So TOGETHER we are making a difference for the future of WRHS/WHLC.”
Currently, the “Healthcare Heroes Endowment Fund” Campaign has made a huge jump the last few months to $423,913 raised! And this is in only seventeen months! Our original goal was to raise $500,000 in five years or less. Since then, we have revised the goal to $500K in three years. But maybe we can do it in two! You never know about the believers in top-quality healthcare “close to home.” They seem to be determined not to let this pillar of the area community crumble.
If you’d ever like to visit about our WRHS Foundation, please contact Ted Uecker directly at 701-567-3666. We’d love to visit with you about your future giving plans or anything else that might be on your mind for our community. Or you can go to our website at wrhs.com/giving. Lastly, cash and checks are always accepted at “WRHSF,” Attn: Ted Uecker, 1000 Highway 12, Hettinger, ND 58639. We are grateful for every gift. Every gift here, no matter the size, counts! Onward!
By Ted Uecker, WRHS Foundation