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(Howard, SD) – Rivers Edge Bank donated $100,000 to Horizon Health Foundation to help secure the future of health care providers and to continue a legacy of community partnerships between Horizon and the bank.
Rivers Edge Bank is a community bank in the truest sense, according to Don Nolan, Chairman and CEO. They spend time considering the economic well-being of the communities they serve. Focusing on the communities in which they live, and work is the key to financial success.
“We really feel that it’s crucial to get the next generation of students back into the rural communities,” President Cameron Becker said. “There’s a lot of talent that’s created in our communities. Any opportunities to bring folks back is a win for the local communities.”
The bank has a mantra that is considered sacred to its mission and strategy. The mission states “If you row someone across the river, you will get there yourself.” By fostering their customers’ and communities’ success, the bank will also share in the reward. This mantra is the basis of the bank name because the place where this collaborative relationship starts is at the river’s edge, which, cleverly, is also a bank.
One way the bank chose to fulfill this mission is through a gift to its long-time partner, Horizon Health Care. The Horizon Health Foundation is partnering with individuals, community business leaders, and corporations on a $12.8 million dollar initiative, Rooted in Rural, dedicated to building, recruiting, and retaining health care professionals. Through the Rooted in Rural program, there are many opportunities to make an impact in the future of delivering rural health care.
South Dakota is expected to have one of the highest health care worker shortages of all 50 states by 2030. We need to take action to retain our current health care teams and to continue to recruit high quality professionals now by partnering to invest in: Recruitment and Retention, Creating and Partnering for scholarship programs for local students pursuing a degree in the health care field, and to help with professional enrichment and education.
“It has been a great honor to work with the Rivers Edge staff and Board of Directors on this incredible gift towards Rooted in Rural,” said Tracy Pardy, Horizon Health Foundation Executive Director. “Because of their generous gift we have now secured nearly $600,000 in funding to get us started on this transformational program which will impact many lives across South Dakota.”
Breanna Severson, a recent graduate of Howard High School, worked at Horizon’s De Smet Dental Clinic as a sterilization assistant during her senior year in high school. She intended to go to college in the fall but was approached by Horizon’s Chief Dental Officer Michelle Scholtz, who offered Breanna the opportunity to work at Horizon, get the education she was planning to leave Howard to obtain, and earn experience for a future role as a dental assistant.
Breanna jumped at the opportunity to stay close to home with friends and family in the community she loves while also building skills to pursue a future career.
If you are interested in helping build the future of South Dakota rural health care, go to www.horizonhealthfoundation.com/rir or contact Tracy Pardy at 605-772-5902.
About Rivers Edge Bank
Rivers Edge Bank has locations in Bridgewater, Howard, Marion, and Parker, South Dakota, and in Hawarden, Iowa. Across the 5 locations in South Dakota and Iowa, the Rivers Edge team consists of approximately 35 employees ready to assist you with all your financial needs. From personal banking to car and home loans, from business banking to agriculture operating loans, this locally owned bank can provide a tailored experience for your financial needs. For more information regarding the bank’s products and services, please visit riversedge.bank.
About the Horizon Health Foundation
The Horizon Health Foundation was established in 2016 to ensure rural health care access to those in need and provide funding for Horizon Health Care. Horizon Health Foundation, a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation, seeks through responsible activities to encourage and derive sustaining gift support from current and former patients and interested friends, including corporate entities. The Horizon Health Foundation, operating in coordination with Horizon Health Care, is the duly designated fundraising arm for Horizon Health Care. In the broadest sense, the purpose of the Foundation is to create an awareness of the financial needs of Horizon Health Care, which are not provided by patient charges and to systematically implement plans by which dollar needs can be met.
About Horizon Health Care
For over 40 years, Horizon Health Care has been providing personalized, affordable, high-quality medical, dental and behavioral health care through a rural, community-based network in South Dakota. Horizon is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that serves the medical, dental and mental health care needs of South Dakotans in rural, medically underserved areas through 110,000 patient visits annually in 31 community health centers in: Aberdeen, Alcester, Bison, Bryant, De Smet, Eagle Butte, Elk Point, Faith, Fort Thompson, Howard, Huron, Isabel, La Plant, Lake Preston, Martin, McIntosh, Mission, Plankinton, Wessington Springs, White River, Woonsocket, and Yankton. For more information, please visit www.horizonhealthcare.org.