By Dan Bechtold
Editor
On an overcast cool afternoon, the Winner community celebrated the great news of the expansion of the Winner Regional Healthcare Center.
The official groundbreaking was held at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 4. Hospital board members, speakers, and hospital executives threw out the first shovel of dirt signifying the official start of the $23 million project.
As the officials put on construction helmets and picked up their shovels, the crowd applauded.
Several speakers spoke at the ground breaking.
Jody Engel, communication/foundation director at Winner Regional Healthcare Center, said “We find ourselves coming together as a community to take another step forward in ensuring our neighbors, friends and families continue to receive the quality health care we all expect and deserve for generations to come.”
Engel explained the healthcare center has a talented staff and this is truly a community hospital.
Carol Horstman, who has been a nurse at the hospital for 33 years, says she has seen many changes over those years. She looks forward to having an ER that will have private exam rooms instead of just drawing a curtain as is the case in the current ER.
Horstman noted the use of computers for charting was a big change.
She added the new addition will be a great asset. “This expansion shows we are progressive,” Horstman said.
Jill Swallow has worked in radiology for 27 years at Winner Regional. “I am so fortunate to work her,” she said. Like Horstman, Swallow has seen changes and for her department it was moving into the digital age where all the images are now digital, there is no longer the use of film to taking x-rays.
Swallow says her co-workers make this a great place to work. She noted there is need for expansion as they have outgrown their space in the facility.
“We want to continue to grow so patients can stay close to home,” she said.
Cally Night Pipe works at the long term care side of Winner Regional Healthcare Center. Even thought there will be no addition to the long term care unit, Night Pipe sees the benefit that the expansion will provide.
“This project is what Winner needs for future generations,” she said.
Dr. Tony Berg has been a family practice doctor in Winner for 35 years. He is now the chairman of the fundraising campaign for the new expansion.
“This is a great day for Winner,” he said.
Berg told the crowd this is your hospital and will be here for generations to come.
He noted the governing board had faith in this community and voted to move ahead with the building project.
Following the groundbreaking, a community meal was served in the Winner Armory. There were also free cupcakes for anyone who was born at Winner Regional.
At the meal, persons has a chance to look at the building plans.
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