Health Matters - March

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LifeCare Health Care Fund

The LifeCare Health Care Fund was established in 2004 to provide financial support for charitable and educational activities related to health care and senior living within the LifeCare service area.

Administered by the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, donations can be directed to eight funds available within the LifeCare Health Care Funds. Throughout the year many programs and activities were held to raise awareness of these funds and generate contributions for them.
Since 2006 the LifeCare Health Care funds have granted out over $41,793 to various health-related organizations and projects in our area.

Which Health Care funds benefit our community?

General Endowment
   The general endowment fund is available to health-related organizations and projects within the county. Primary funding comes from the Partners for Health event which has grown into the area's marquis event.
   In 2008, grants were awarded in the amount of $1,082 to Oak Crest Senior Housing for the purchase of Blood Pressure Monitors to the Warroad School District for the purchase of security cabinets to house their Automatic Electronic Defibrillators for easy access.

Eagles Auxiliary Diabetes
and Dialysis Fund
   Established by the Roseau Eagles and Auxiliary, this fund is available to provide direct financial support for equipment, training, and patient support for diabetic and dialysis needs.

LifeCare's May Walk/Run proceeds are contributed to this fund annually.

   This year, a grant of $2,500 was given to Roseau County Senior Medical Travel to offset the cost of transporting dialysis patients.

Think Pink Breast Cancer Fund
   Established by Keith and Dana Wojciechowski of Greenbush this is the newest of the LifeCare funds and exists to provide financial support for Roseau County breast cancer patients and promote education of breast cancer awareness.
   Launched in 2008, this fund was the beneficiary of many fundraising projects throughout our area including:

The Greenbush/MR Lifeskills "Pay It Forward" project
Emily Bentow's Sweatshirt Sale Proceeds
Greenbush Rodeo & Breakfast
Sponsorship proceeds of Troy Peterson's Mini-Sprint Car featured in the Greenbush Race Park
Warroad Women of Today Dance
Warroad High School Business Professional Association Tree Raffle Proceeds
Roseau Volleyball Team 50/50 draw

All of these projects culminated in donations in excess of $8,000. Consequently, a total of $790 was granted to fund the Warroad Eagles Auxiliary gas card program and LifeCare's Imaging Department to purchase breast cancer awareness materials just 7 months after it was established.

Pictured alongside her grandmothers is Emily Bentow of Greenbush who, after seeing the courage both women displaying during their battle with cancer, was inspired to design, print and sell these gray sweatshirts. Bentow donated the $750 in proceeds to the Think Pink Breast Cancer Fund

Which funds benefit LifeCare Medical Center?

Greenbush Manor Fund

The Greenbush Manor Fund is designated for projects within the new Greenbush Medical Park, which will soon begin construction. As a fundraising kickoff, the first annual Greenbush Manor 4-Person Scramble Golf Tournament was held in June 2008.

This was followed up with an official groundbreaking in September celebrating the project and highlighting the plans for the facility. Both events raised money for the building project ad future announcements about more fundraising opportunities will be presented later this year.

Roseau Manor Fund
Roseau manor benefits the residents and staff who live and work in this facility.

Previously funded projects include an aquarium, hair dryers for the recently remodeled beauty shop and last year, $1,786 for the establishment of a Healing Garden on lifeCare Medical Center grounds not far from Roseau Manor.

Hospice Fund

The hospice fund is one of the most actively supported fund within the Life Care fund family. This fund supports the hospice program and services at LifeCare Medical Center.

Last year, $1,000 was granted for the planning and development of healing garden on the LifeCare Medial Center Grounds.

Medical Equipment Fund

The late Maggi Adams put LifeCare Medical Center in the enviable position of always having a fund source for the latest medial equipment for our facilities.

The first and largest LifeCare fund insures that our organization will have the means to acquire state-of-the-art equipment.

Not only is this a benefit to the people served by LifeCare, it also provides great incentive to recruit and retain top medical professionals to its facilities.

The year, grants totaling $13,189 were given to the Respiratory Therapy Dept, and Infusion Therapy which provided and infant CPAP machine to support infants and new born's breathing and specially designed chairs to aide in the comfort of those receiving chemotherapy and other infusion therapy treatments.

Parish Nursing Fund

The Parish Nursing Fund supports the programs and activities of the LifeCare Parish Nursing Program. The parish nursing program is a combination of nursing and faith. Parish nurses care for their own congregations to provide education, health counseling, and disease prevention.

Proceeds from the LifeCare's Partners for Health go to the General endowment

The First annual Greenbush Manor 4-Person scramble was held last June to raise money for the Greenbush Manor Building Project

Events at the groundbreaking ceremony benefit the Greenbush building project

A busy registration table kicks off the 2008 Diabetes Walk/Run

Ways to Give
Honor/Memorial Program
     Established in 2006, the Honor/Memorial Program has received over $14,800 in gifts. It is a meaningful way to remember or honor a loved one by giving a tax-deductible gift to any of the eight funds.
    Once a gift has been made, a specially designed memorial/honor car will be sent to the named recipient notifying them a gift has been made while keeping the amount confidential.
     Sympathy Cards and honor/memorial envelopes are available free of charge at LifeCare Medical Center, Greenbush and Roseau Manor, area funeral homes and by contacting Sue Graftstrom at 463-4742.

Individual Gifts
     Gifts made by cash or check convenient and tax deductable.
     These gifts may be sent directly to:
          LifeCare Health Care Fund
          715 Delmore Drive
          Roseau, MN 56751

Gifts of Property
Assets such as stocks, bonds or other properties that have gained value during the time that you have owned them are a great way to bring extra savings wile insuring health care in Roseau County is well-positioned for the future.

Planned Gifts
Gifts through our will, various types of trusts, annuities, life insurance and other planning vehicles may be just the right opportunity for you to meet our financial and gift-giving goals.
Gifts of Property and Planned Gifts may be discussed with your financial adviser or with Caryl Turnow, Development Specialist at the Northwest MN Foundation by calling 463-0440

LifeCare Health Care Advisory Committee

The LifeCare Health Care Fund is led by an advisory committee made up of community member from throughout the LifeCare Medical Center service area. These members work to direct the programs and activates to raise awareness and dollars for the funds as well as selecting the grant recipients each year.
Advisory Committee Members include:

Roger Helgeson, Roseau (Chairperson)
Jane Evans, Roseau
Shirley Fugleberg, Roseau
Bridget Lindner, Warroad
Michele Thomson, Warroad
Dave Wensloff, Malung
Jan Wollin, Greenbush

Ad Hoc Members include:

Sue Grafstrom, Development Coordinator
LifeCare Medical Center
Keith Okeson, CEO/President
LifeCare Medical Center
Deb Haugen, Sr. Leader of Marketing
LifeCare Medical Center
Caryl Turnow, Development Specialist
Northwest Minnesota Foundation

For more information, contact:
Sue Grafstrom
Development Coordinator
LifeCare Medical Center
715 Delmore Drive
Roseau, MN 56751
(218) 463-4742
sgrafstrom@lifecaremc.com