The Ketterling family poses together for Richard and Betty Ketterling's 70th wedding anniversary.
Back row: (L to R) Diana, Rhonda, and Lance Ketterling. Front row: (L to R) Betty and Richard Ketterling/Submitted Photo
The West River Health Services Foundation (WRHSF), a nonprofit organization in Hettinger, recently received a $25,000 estate gift from the Richard and Betty Ketterling estate, following the longtime Hettinger residents’ passing.
According to Richard and Betty Ketterling’s son, Lance Ketterling, both Richard and Betty were lifelong members of the Hettinger community.
“[Richard and Betty] saw the hospital from its very beginning,” said Lance, “and they were always firm believers of having good quality health care close to home.”
Richard Ketterling owned and operated a farm and ranch southwest of Hettinger and Betty Ketterling worked as the WRHS Care Center Activities Director for 25 years. Betty’s time working at the care center was incredibly important to her, according to Dr. Rhonda Ketterling, Richard and Betty’s daughter.
“Activities Director was Betty’s favorite of all the jobs she ever had,” said Rhonda. “There, she was able to maximize her creativity and her love of people- she was a real nurturer, so that was a great place for her.”
Inspired by Betty and Richard’s gift, Dr. Rhonda Ketterling, and David Wells matched the estate with their own $25,000 gift. Rhonda, who grew up in Hettinger, said she was happy to make the donation because Hettinger’s hospital played a role in inspiring her own career as a physician and healthcare administrator.
“I grew up in the healthcare field and I always admired [Hettinger’s facility],” said Rhonda. “There was always an inspiration from the Hettinger community and the hospital, seeing what could be done just in my own encounters as I kept growing up with physicians.”
Lance and Dr. Ellen Ketterling also matched the estate donation with an additional $25,000 gift of their own.
“We are happy that we can donate to the hospital,” said Lance. “It’s incredibly important to the town - it provides employment for so many people.”
Between the three donations, the Ketterling family gifted a grand total of $75,000 to the WRHSF.
“There are a lot of health care people in our family,” said Lance, “and [our matching donations] are a way for us to honor our parents.”
The $75,000 gift will be put toward the foundation’s Physician Recruitment Endowment Fund, a fund dedicated to the recruitment of new physicians at WRHS. According to Ted Uecker, the WRHS Foundation Officer, there is still a great need for new physicians at WRHS.
“We started our Physician Recruitment Endowment Fund two and a half years ago when we joined the Impact Foundation and their Giving Hearts Day Program, as our physician staff went from 19 to 13 in a very short time,” said Uecker.
Specifically, Uecker said that funds from the Physician Recruitment Endowment Fund will be put toward strategies which will attract new physicians to the area.
“A few physicians retired, a few left to take care of their parents and a few left for personal reasons,” he said. “Therefore, [WRHS] needed a way to offer a substantial $20,000 signing bonus to new physicians, or forgive $20,000 of their student loans, or form an Ambassador Program where current and/or retired West River physicians travel to visit with prospective resident physicians or medical students about coming to Hettinger to practice medicine.”
Uecker also said that the funds will be channeled through Giving Hearts Day, the single largest one-day fundraising event in the state of North Dakota. Ultimately, Uecker said that the funds donated from the Ketterling family will help WRHS reach its $400,000 Physician Recruitment Endowment Fund goal. The interest from the Physician Recruitment Endowment Fund, Uecker explained, will help WRHS recruit new physicians for Western Dakota.
“This year, the Ketterling Family has graciously agreed to allow us to utilize their amazing $75,000 in gifts as our Matching Funds for our WRHS Foundation’s 2021 Giving Hearts Day effort,” he said. “Not only do their gifts get us $75,000 closer to our $400,000 Physician Recruitment Endowment Fund goal (currently we are at $323,000), but it also might inspire others to help us to ultimately “match their match” and reach our $400,000 goal.”
On behalf of WRHS, Uecker expressed his appreciation for the donation.
“We are so grateful to the Ketterling Family for their thoughtful gifts to our WRHS Foundation,” he said. “Their personal experiences in receiving and providing top-notch healthcare ‘close to home,’ is a tribute to our founder’s belief over 70 years ago that rural citizens deserve as high of quality healthcare as their urban counterparts. Together we are a team.”
Story by Frank Turner from the Adams County Record
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