Ellinwood’s work to secure funding for a replacement hospital through the USDA has proven to be worth the hard work and efforts.
The Ellinwood Hospital District Board of Trustees has been notified that the $25 million in requested funding has officially been obligated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Construction of a new hospital and clinic and is expected to begin late this year or early in 2023, CEO Kile Magner stated in a news release.
“This has been quite a process to say the least, and we are thrilled that all of the team’s hard work has paid off,” Magner said. Although the requirements have been met for the loan application, there are still a few items that need to be completed with some urgency, he added. “One of which is the successful finish of our capital campaign. We are so close, but just need that last final push to get us over the finish line.”
The capital campaign is one of the requirements from USDA Office of Rural Development in this process as proof of community investment. For a project of this size, USDA has determined that the amount of needed equity from the community to be $1,250,000. Currently, $1,123,275 has been donated to the Building a Healthy Tomorrow Capital Campaign, spearheaded by a Leadership Committee comprised of 12 leaders in and from the community of Ellinwood, according to Ellinwood Hospital Foundation Executive Director Kristy Rupe.
“Early on, it was determined that the best strategy to reach our campaign goal was to recruit community leaders that would be focused on developing the campaign, spreading the word and contacting people for contributions.” Rupe said.
“That final 10% of a campaign always seems the hardest. The distractions of COVID-19 and our economy have created some challenges along the way, but our donors have been very generous and helped us reach 90% of our goal so far,” she continued. The goal is to continue reaching out to those who have not yet donated to get the campaign across the finish line. After that, it will be the work of the Foundation Board to continue to carry out those successful wins into the future.
Rupe says the design work is underway for a donor wall that will honor and recognize those who donated to the campaign in perpetuity.
“Without our donors and everyone who played a role in helping us meet this challenge set by the USDA, we wouldn’t be where we are today and able to announce that we are building a new hospital and clinic,” explained Rupe. “The support and generosity has been nothing short of amazing and I look forward to the next celebration of announcing we have reached our campaign goal.”
Ellinwood Hospital and Clinic is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital and Rural Health Clinic. With a 24/7 Emergency Room with two beds, the hospital provides inpatient acute care, skilled swing bed, and intermediate swing bed care and many outpatient services: endoscopy, physical and occupational therapy, a full-service medical laboratory, and a full range of imaging services – traditional x-ray, CT, mobile mammography, mobile US/sonography, mobile MRI.
