Paramedic Recognized for the Guardian Angel Award at Burgess Health Center

Burgess Health Center is proud to announce the nomination of Sarah Solberg, an extraordinary paramedic, for the Guardian Angel Award. Sarah’s dedication and compassionate care during a recent emergency medical call have earned her this well-deserved recognition.

The nomination for the Guardian Angel Award comes from the heart of a grateful family. Sarah was part of the ambulance team called to assist Jolene, a patient in a life-threatening situation. During a very serious and challenging call, Sarah’s demeanor and actions left an unforgettable mark on Jolene’s family.

“Sarah is truly an angel on earth,” said Susan Johnson, Jolene’s sister and the person who nominated Sarah for this award. “She was on the ambulance run for my sister, Jolene. This was a very serious call. Sarah was the calm, comforting voice we all needed to hear.”

Sarah’s extraordinary care extended beyond the ambulance ride. Upon arriving at Burgess Health Center, she went above and beyond her duties to provide support in the emergency room. She made it her priority to communicate effectively and thoughtfully with Jolene’s daughter and sister remained informed throughout the process. Sarah even stayed on-call, ensuring that Jolene received the necessary care and preparation for transfer to Council Bluffs the following morning.

The Guardian Angel Award, a highly respected recognition at Burgess Health Center, acknowledges individuals who demonstrate exceptional care, kindness, and commitment to their patients. Sarah’s nomination reflects the deep appreciation and gratitude felt by Jolene’s family for the extraordinary care they received during a critical moment.

Burgess Health Center is honored to have professionals like Sarah among its staff, who consistently go above and beyond to provide exceptional care to the community they serve.

For more information about Burgess Health Center and the Guardian Angel Award, please visit www.burgesshc.org/about/foundation

Photo: (back row, left to right) Morgan Ridder, Steven Gibler, Nick Lakey; (front row, left to right) Karla Copple, Director of Emergency and Inpatient Services, Sarah Solberg, Jolene McDonald, Susan Johnson, Bobbi Johnson, Foundation Director, and Lynn Wold, CEO.

Burgess Foundation Donates State-of-the-Art Ambulance Worth $308,604 to Burgess Health Center

The Burgess Foundation, under the visionary leadership of Bobbi Johnson, Director of the Foundation, is delighted to announce the donation of a cutting-edge ambulance valued at $308,604 to Burgess Health Center. This remarkable contribution was made possible through generous donations from donors dedicated to supporting the vital work of emergency medical services in our community.

Bobbi expressed her gratitude, stating, “It is my privilege to witness the incredible impact of your generosity, dedication, and love for our community. First, let me express our heartfelt appreciation for your steadfast commitment to Burgess Health Center. Your past donations have transformed lives, providing essential medical care, comfort, and hope to our neighbors and friends. Your contributions have enabled us to invest in advanced equipment, attract top medical talent, and deliver the highest standard of care. We are unveiling, because of you, this new life-saving equipment.”

This brand-new ambulance, delivered on September 26th, is a testament to the power of community collaboration. With over 700 miles of coverage, Burgess Health Center’s ambulance service is vital in providing 911 assistance and paramedic support to Monona County and parts of Woodbury and Harrison counties.

“The safety of our patients and the well-being of our dedicated medical crews are paramount,” said Karla Copple, Director of the Emergency and Inpatient Department at Burgess Health Center. “This generous gift from the Burgess Foundation ensures that we can continue to provide exceptional emergency medical services to our community. We are deeply grateful for the support of our donors, whose contributions have made this significant enhancement possible.”

The new ambulance features advanced safety enhancements, including expanded storage space for life-saving equipment, a larger oxygen compartment, 4WD capabilities, liquid suspension for smoother rides, and security features such as brighter lights and high-quality reflective vinyl.

“We are deeply grateful for the unwavering support from our community members and partners. Your contributions are more than just financial; they are lifelines that ensure our ability to provide exceptional healthcare services,” added Bobbi. “This new ambulance is a tangible representation of your generosity and commitment to the well-being of our community.”

The Burgess Foundation extends its heartfelt appreciation to all the donors whose contributions have made this significant donation possible. Their continued support empowers Burgess Health Center to deliver outstanding medical care, making a lasting impact on the lives of individuals and families in our community.

 

Photo: (Front, left to right) Lou Hewitt, Bobbi Johnson, Director of the Burgess Foundation, Karla Copple, Director of Emergency and Inpatient Services, Lynn Wold, CEO of Burgess, Susan Johnson. (Back, left to right) Heidi Gage, Geri Johnson, Sara Solberg, Nick Lakey, Dejay Langel, Patrick Prorock and Cheryl Warner.

Guardian Angel Recognized at Burgess Health Center

Burgess Health Center is proud to announce the nomination of Matt Garred, ARNP at the Whiting Family Clinic, for the Burgess Foundation Guardian Angel Award.

Todd Clark, Sioux City, wants to recognize and thank Matt for his thoughtfulness and confident care. He trusts his health to the medical professionals at Burgess and wants to thank Matt for going above and beyond and always being there for him.

It took over eight years for Todd to find a team to help with his medical condition, and after being introduced to Dr. John Garred, Jr. (Matt’s father) and Matt, Todd felt a special connection and understanding.

Burgess Foundation’s Guardian Angel program provides patients, family members, and friends a chance to show gratitude to a physician, nurse, or another caregiver who has played an exceptional role in their lives. The Guardian Angel received an acknowledgment letter announcing that a donation has been made in their honor and given a custom-crafted lapel pin to wear proudly.

Did a caregiver at Burgess make a memorable difference for you or your family? If so, you can honor that special person in a highly visible way through Burgess Foundation’s Guardian Angel program. It is more than a pin. When you take advantage of our Guardian Angel program, you also help ensure the future of outstanding health care in the region.

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Photo: Teresa Butler, Sr. VP of Clinical Services & Interim CEO, Laura Garred, Samuel Garred, Matt Garred, Justin Hummelgard, Director of Clinics, and Bobbi Johnson, Foundation Director.

Learning for Life Program Receives Grant Funds

The Learning for Life program at Burgess Health Center would like to thank the Monona County Community Partners Foundation.  With grant money received from the Foundation, we were able to purchase child care and safety items for families in our program.  The families are able to earn points for the items by taking their children to well-child checks, the library, having home visits and a variety of other healthy activities.  These items purchased range from baby lotion and soap to pack-n-plays, safety gates, high chairs and more.  The grant allowed Learning for Life to have the child care items readily available when there is a need for them.  This will ensure children in our program have access to a safe environment.  Thank you!

Learning for Life is a free home visiting program for anyone in Monona County with children prenatal-5 years old.  Our parent educators assist parents in giving their children the best possible start by building a strong relationship and helping parents increase their confidence.  Our staff bring fun educational parent-child activities, provide support and encouragement, as well as complete developmental assessments to be sure the children are school ready when that time comes.  Enrolled families have access to passes to the LaunchPad Children’s Museum and the Henry Doorly Zoo.  To enroll or find out more information call 712-423-9175.

The Learning for Life Program is funded by the Harrison, Monona and Shelby Early Childhood Iowa Board, Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program grant funding and the Monona County Board of Supervisors.

New Chief Executive Officer Named at Burgess Health Center

The Burgess Health Center Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Lynn R. Wold as Chief Executive Officer, effective early September.

With nearly 30 years of progressive and diverse experience in the healthcare industry, Wold brings a wealth of leadership and strategic expertise to Burgess Health Center. As the new CEO, Wold will lead the 25-bed critical access hospital in Onawa, three Burgess Family Clinics serving the communities of Sloan, Whiting, and Mapleton, and a retail family pharmacy in Whiting.

“We are extremely fortunate to have someone of Lynn’s caliber, experience and locally connected to step up to lead Burgess,” said Keith Schrunk, Board President. “Just wrapping up an $18 million expansion and renovation, we look forward to his leadership. We believe he will successfully continue to improve the quality of life for the people and communities we serve by providing excellent healthcare and exceptional patient experiences.”

During his 18-year tenure at UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s, Sioux City, Iowa, Wold led the development of the Pierce Street Same Day Surgery facility, worked to improve patient satisfaction scores and employee engagement, oversaw the development and construction of an 80,000 square foot ambulatory medical plaza and led the expansion of highly effective Medicare-certified Program for All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly (PACE), to name a few initiatives accomplished under his leadership.

“I am honored to have been selected as the next CEO for Burgess Health Center,” said Lynn Wold. “I am excited to join this team, organization and community that has prioritized high-quality healthcare delivery for decades. Alongside the physicians and staff, I plan to continue moving the organization forward with excellence and distinction while always putting patients first.”

“I can think of no one better to push Burgess to another level in healthcare and continue to be a huge impact in medical care in the area,” added Schrunk. “Lynn is an engaging leader with proven qualifications in strategic planning, physician recruitment, master planning, community relations, and patient experience. We look forward to welcoming him to the Burgess team.”

Wold was raised in a rural community in SE North Dakota and is the proud son of a farmer and medical laboratory technician. Lynn is a farm boy at heart. He and his wife, Beth, are the parents of five children and currently live in LeMars, IA. He and Beth look forward to establishing a home as soon as possible in or around Onawa. Wold is extremely excited to meet the Burgess team and get to know the communities and patients we serve.

Burgess Foundation Held Two Successful Golf Tournaments

Burgess Foundation recently held two very successful golf tournaments! Willow Vale Golf Course in Mapleton hosted on June 9 and the Onawa Country Club in Onawa on June 16. Golfers had the choice to register for one day or sign up for both fun-filled Fridays.

The teams enjoyed camaraderie on the greens, a steak sandwich meal for lunch, a 19th-hole putting contest, and pin prizes. Both tournaments raised over $36,000 that will be used to purchase new medical equipment which furthers Burgess Health Center’s purpose of providing excellent healthcare.

“The success of this annual golf tournament depends very much on the overwhelming support and participation from our sponsors, volunteers and staff,” Bobbi Johnson, Director of the Burgess Foundation, stated. “The dedication and commitment are truly making a difference in advancing the mission of the Burgess Foundation and helping us TEE IT UP FORE Burgess Health Center.

Mapleton Tournament:
Champion: First Security Bank -54, Team Lander – 57, Fister Farms – 59.
First Flight: Denison Drywall – 66, Lander Farms – 67, Team Copple – 67.
Second Flight: Lee’s Small Engine Repair – 75, Team Warner – 77, Maple Heights – 80.

Onawa Tournament:
Champion: Team Lander – 55, Security National Bank/Spring Valley Ag -55, The Hoffman Agency – 55.
First Flight: AgriVision Equipment – 59, Nelson & Rock Contracting – 60, Mac’s Chevrolet – 63.
Second Flight: Lee’s Small Engine Repair – 66, Graham Construction – 68, Dr. Knudson – 68.

Sponsors:
1% Lists Dream Street, 6 Mile Pursuit, AgriVision, AssuredPartners/ServiShare, Bayer Crop Science, Carl & Allison Behne, Black Hills Energy, Burgess Auxiliary, Burgess Family Clinics, Burgess Mapleton PT, Burgess Ute, CHI Health, CMBA Architects, Community Bank, Rob & Karla Copple, Dr. Peter & Jennifer Daher, Denison Drywall Contracting, Echo Electric Supply, Family Medicine Clinic, First Security Bank, Fister Farms, Friends Divided, Graham Construction, Grip it ‘n Rip it!, Great Southern Bank, IP Pathways, Dr. Rachel Knudson, Josh Lander, Lander Farms, Lee’s Small Engine Repair, Long Lines Broadband, MAC’S Chevrolet, Inc., Maple Heights, Morton Buildings, Inc., Nelson & Rock Contracting, Security National Bank, Specialized Engineering Solutions, Spring Valley Ag, Dr. John Terry, The Hoffman Agency, Timber Ridge, Uncommon Grounds, Vision Care Clinic, Grady & Stacy Warner, Kathy Westergaard, Williams & Company, WIPCO, and Xigent Solutions.

Prize Sponsors:
Bomgaar’s – Mapleton, Bomgaar’s – Onawa, Burgess Auxiliary, Casey’s, Graceful Boutique, Graceful Grind Coffeehouse, Hard Rock Main & Abbey, Hometown Variety, Mapleton Press, Onnen Company, Scheels, Jessi Tadlock – Century 21, Uncommon Grounds, United Bank of Iowa – Moorhead.

Meal Sponsors:
Mapleton: Fiesta Foods – Breakfast, Uncommon Grounds/Kathy Westergaard – Lunch
Onawa: Fiesta Foods – Breakfast, Black Hills Energy – Lunch

Beverage Sponsor:
Mapleton: 1% Lists Dream Street
Onawa: Williams & Company

Putting Contest Sponsor:
Great Southern Bank in both Mapleton and Onawa

19th Hole Sponsor:
Mapleton: Xigent Solutions
Onawa: Specialized Engineering Solutions

 

Photo #1: Shane Erlemeier, Chris Leif, Scott McCandless, and Ethan Wolf.
Photo #2: Josh Lander, J.J. Lander, Tommy Miller, and Carl Miller.

Burgess Auxiliary Awards Five Scholarships

Five scholarships of $500 each are awarded each spring to area high school seniors and first-year college students that wish to pursue a career in a health-related field.

The 2023 recipients are as follows: Gracie Cloud (Sloan, 3.944 GPA), graduate of Westwood High School plans to attend WITCC for Nursing; Emma Collison (Onawa, 3.34 GPA), graduate of West Monona High School plans to attend Wayne State for Mental Health Counseling; Damian Orr (Turin, 3.529 GPA), graduate of West Monona High School plans to attend the University of South Dakota for Physical Therapy; Brooklyn Pekarek (Blencoe, 3.927 GPA), graduate of West Monona High School plans to attend the University of Iowa to become a medical provider; and Lariya Templeton (Oto, 3.88 GPA), graduate of MVAOCOU plans to attend Kirkwood Community College for Nursing.

Applications are available January through March online at www.BurgessHC.org/auxiliary or at the Burgess Health Center front desk and accepted until April 1.

Butler Announced as Interim CEO

Over the past few weeks, the Burgess Health Center Board of Directors has met and decided an interim CEO was best to keep the momentum and positivity of our expansion and successful strategic planning moving forward during this transitional period of Carl Behne’s resignation.

“We are pleased to announce Teresa Butler, our current Senior VP of Clinical Services, will fill the role of interim CEO.” Said Keith Schrunk, President of the Burgess Health Center Board, “With her proven leadership with Burgess for over 17 years in both clinical and operational settings, we are confident she will provide guidance and support during this time of adjustment.”

Though Behne’s last day with Burgess will be June 2, 2023, he will remain on consultatively to support Teresa, the senior leadership team, and the Board as needed until the role is filled.

“Teresa exemplifies, like the rest of the team, the heart, compassion, desire, work ethic, and perseverance of improving Burgess to make it, as our Vision Statement indicates, ‘To be the best rural healthcare system in America.’” Added Schrunk.

The Board of Directors continues to be committed to Burgess Health Center and are grateful to have a team that works together to uphold providing excellent healthcare and exceptional patient experiences.

Photo: Teresa Butler, Senior VP of Clinical Services

Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month

Thank you to everyone that participated in our Child Abuse Prevention Awareness month activities!  In April, we recognized the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect and promoted the social and emotional well-being of children and families.  April is a time to help people understand that safe, stable and nurturing relationships and environments are necessary to ensure that children grow up happy and healthy. We all play a role in supporting the well-being of others.

In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Awareness month, the Burgess Public Health Learning for Life program and the Monona County Child Abuse Prevention Council sponsored many activities.  You may have seen one of our over 30 Pinwheel Flower pots around the county.  The blue pinwheel is the national symbol Prevent Child Abuse America.  Or perhaps you participated in our Family Bingo.  We distributed over 700 Family Bingo cards to children and their families.  Each bingo card was filled with fun, free family activities to promote positive bonding and togetherness.  With generous funding from the Harrison, Monona and Shelby Early Childhood Board, families who completed a “blackout” and turned their card in, were eligible for a prize drawing of one of three family memberships to the Henry Doorly Zoo or one of three family game baskets.  Congratulations to our winners from each school district: Kendyl Purcell, Jasmine Warren, Madison Golden, Wylie Eckert, Hudson Blatchford and Trigg Fox!  It is our hope that the families who did not turn in a “black out” card were able to complete some of the activities or at the very least read through the cards to see how simple it can be to spend quality time together.

The Monona County Board of Supervisors also signed a proclamation declaring April as Child Abuse Prevention Awareness month to show their support to the families and children in our county.  We appreciate their time and collaboration.  We also want to thank those that wore blue on Fridays during April to show their support!

The Monona County Child Abuse Prevention Council meets regularly to ensure that EVERY CHILD has a safe childhood free of violence.  The Council is actively seeking members. For information on how to be involved or if you or a friend would like to learn how to participate in educational early childhood home visits that will help your child’s growth and development, please contact Burgess Public Health at 712-423-9175.  Our Learning for Life Program is a free home visiting program for families with children prenatal through kindergarten entry.  The Learning for Life Program is funded by grants from the Harrison, Monona and Shelby Early Childhood Iowa Board, Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program grant funding and the Monona County Board of Supervisors.

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Photo: (back, left to right) Paula Nagel, West Central Community Action/Head Start, Michelle James with Family Crisis Centers, Debie Lahr, Kaylee Kirkpatrick, and Adam Hadden. (front, left to right) Vince Phillips, Tom Brouillette, and Bo Fox of the Monona County Board of Supervisors.