West River Health Services Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising and development arm of West River Health Services and Western Horizons Living Centers, received a huge $227,735 gift from the John and Myrtle Kinsvater Trust. Carol Fordahl, Successor Guardian and Conservator, delivered the magnificent cashier’s check to WRHS Foundation Fund Development Officer, Ted Uecker, and West River Health Services Chief Executive Officer, Matt Shahan, on Thursday, August 1st. “We are so grateful for this amazing gift,“ Uecker said. “Thank goodness for terrific relationships with area believers in top-notch rural healthcare.”
During the mid-20th Century, John and Myrtle (Stenberg) Kinsvater were small farmers north of Bucyrus in Adams County. It was here they raised the light of their lives, their only daughter, Marlys. Though not wealthy by any means, with a few animals and a small plot of land, they did save over the years and developed a Trust for Marlys’ future well-being. Marlys attended school in Reeder, Hettinger and eventually Lemmon, SD, where she graduated with the Class of 1956. She then spent time with care facilities in Jamestown, Wilton, Bowman and Valley City. Marlys passed away on May 15, 2019.
The entire balance of the John and Myrtle Kinsvater Trust property went to West River Health Services
Foundation. The WRHS Foundation Board of Directors will conduct their quarterly meeting on Monday, August 26th, 7:00pm, in the WRHS Board Room to determine exactly where this sensational gift will be placed.The West River Health Services Foundation hopes to springboard off this amazing gift right into their resurrected “Planned Giving Program,” which they plan to roll out in September 2019. “We are developing solid relationships with families, businesses and organizations in the surrounding area and throughout the Midwest. Hopefully this gift might prompt others to consider planned giving for the future. We certainly want to increase awareness that West River Health Services Foundation is certainly an option. After all, everyone -- from birth to the elderly and everyone in between – needs top healthcare.”
For more information regarding this story or West River Health Services Foundation itself, please contact Ted Uecker at
701-567-3666, fdo@wrhs.com or 1000 Highway 12, Hettinger, ND, 58639. Onward!