Feb 19, 2020

Expanding Access to Rural Healthcare

From its initial $10,000 construction grant in 1981 to help build a new home for a little store-front health center to the recent half-million dollars spread over two years to remodel that now 35-year-old building, the Champlin Foundation has been a friend to Wood River Health Services from the very beginning.

In those early days, Wood River Health functioned with volunteers and a handful of part-time staff, used and donated furniture and equipment, and whatever small grants they could find. Today, thanks in large part to the generosity of the Champlin Foundation, it is a modern healthcare facility employing over 60 area residents and treating over 8,000 patients.

Among the gifts Champlin has given, in addition to capital campaigns for three building expansions, has been dental equipment and a mammography unit, a handicap accessibility ramp and HVAC conversion, roofing, siding, and a fire alarm system and seemingly endless renovations as the health center continued to grow over the decades.

Visitors to Wood River Health are consistently impressed with the quality of the building and rooms, and the up-to-date equipment in use. With nearly $1.5 million invested over the years, the Champlin Foundation is due a large part of the credit for that.

At a time when our society is crying out for high quality, affordable medical and dental care, partners such as the Champlin Foundation are invaluable to those of us on the front lines of healthcare.