Brookings Health System Foundation to Hold Fifth Annual Aiming to Inspire Health Fundraiser
- June 24, 2014
Proceeds to Fund New Ambulance
Brookings Health System Foundation will hold the fifth annual Aiming to Inspire Health sporting clays fundraiser on Thursday, Aug. 14 from 2 to 8 p.m. at Medary Creek Hunt Club, rural Aurora, S.D., presented by First Bank & Trust.
Proceeds from the 2014 event will help fund a new Type III ambulance at Brookings Health System. The ambulance will replace an older Type III vehicle as part of a fleet of five offering the only Advanced Life Support (ALS) service in Brookings County. It will be built and stocked as an ALS unit and will be the primary 911 response unit.
“We respond to 911 calls for all of Brookings city, SDSU and Brookings County. We also work outside the county when requested,” Brookings Health System Ambulance Director Gordon Dekkenga explained. “For our coverage area and population, having four ambulances is ideal. We have a fifth vehicle which is primarily used as a mass casualty disaster vehicle.”
According to Foundation Development Officer Barb Anderson, Aiming to Inspire Health proceeds will help purchase the new ambulance.
“Brookings Health System and its ambulance department is 100% self-supported,” said Anderson. “In other towns, the ambulance system is often operated and maintained by the city and new ambulances are often paid for through tax revenue. We don’t do that in Brookings, so the Foundation is reaching out to the community for support of a new ambulance.”
Volga, Bruce and Aurora each have a city-funded volunteer fire department with first responders and no ambulance. Brookings Health System’s ambulance responds to 911 calls in these communities. In addition, the ambulance often receives requests to assist from the city-funded, volunteer Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance services based in White, Arlington and Elkton.
Families, businesses, youths and adults are encouraged to participate at the event. Registration is limited to the first 112 shooters and includes a meal and ammunition. Shooters will be grouped in teams of four at the event. All paid registrations received by July 28 are eligible to win an early bird prize.
Over $1500 in prizes, including a facility wide family membership at the Outdoor Adventure Center valued at over $500 will be awarded. Prize categories are top scoring team, top youth individual, top adult individual plus drawings for ghost clay shooters and early bird registrants.
In addition to First Bank & Trust, event sponsors to date include Avera Medical Group Brookings, Helsper & Mahlke, P.C., Clark Drew Construction, Falcon Plastics, Twin City Fan, Iberdrola Renewables, Mills Construction, Sanford Health Brookings Clinic, Rude’s Home Furnishings, Rude’s On the Loft, Banner Associates, A&B Service Garage, Bowes Construction, Eide Bailly, The Exchange, Bankstar Financial, HyVee, Pheasant Restaurant, Clites Electric, Back in Motion Chiropractic, Cubby’s Sports Bar & Grill, WW Tire, Hamlin Building Center, Tessier’s Inc., Dacotah Bank, Scheels of Sioux Falls, Kjergaard Sports, Brookings Radio, Brookings Register and Courtesy Plumbing.
To sponsor the event or to register to participate in the event, contact Anderson at (605) 696-8855 or foundation@brookingshealth.org. A registration form is available online at www.brookingshealth.org/foundation.
About Brookings Health System Foundation
Brookings Health System Foundation works to cultivate philanthropic gifts to support charity health care for those less fortunate; health and wellness education; facility, equipment, and technology upgrades; and other needs as they arise at Brookings Health System. For more information about Brookings Health System Foundation or how you may contribute, please contact Foundation Officer Barb Anderson at (605) 696-8855 or foundation@brookingshealth.org.
About Brookings Health System
Brookings Health System, located in Brookings, South Dakota, includes a 49-bed hospital, the 79-bed The Neighborhoods at Brookview nursing home, Brookhaven Estates senior living apartments, Yorkshire Eye Clinic, Arlington Medical Center and White Medical Clinic. It is a non-profit, city-owned facility that offers the community a full range of inpatient, outpatient, surgical and extended care services. The emergency room is staffed 24 hours a day and provides around the clock patient needs ranging from minor injuries to life threatening crises. For more information about the services offered at Brookings Health System, please call (605) 696-9000 or visit us on the Web at brookingshealth.org.