Apr 14, 2021 | Latest News
East River Electric employees continue decades-long fundraiser tradition in a new format
MADISON — East River welcomes the public to support the 57th annual LifeScape Fundraiser on Thursday, April 15. It will be a virtual event instead of an oyster feed this year. “The Employees’ Committee knows the importance of supporting non-profits in our area, such as LifeScape. We knew that even though we couldn’t hold an in-person event, we still wanted to hold a fundraiser for LifeScape,” said Paul Letsche, East River Employees’ Committee chairperson. “We will be holding an online auction with items generously donated by businesses in our community.”
Proceeds from the online auction will benefit LifeScape, formerly Children’s Care Hospital and School and SD Achieve, whose mission it is to empower people to live their best lives. With more than $298,000 contributed to LifeScape over the years, East River’s annual fundraisers have helped provide for the very best in medical care, therapy, education and other services for the children at LifeScape.
“We are grateful for the partnership between LifeScape, East River Electric and the Madison community. It helps transform the lives of children and adults with complex care needs,” said Jessica Wells, LifeScape Foundation president. “This support enables LifeScape’s Journey of Hope to bring increased technology-based solutions, leading research in innovative treatment options and care closer to home. Nearly 1,400 children and adults from the Madison area and within the footprint of East River Electric Coop, will be impacted.”
To participate in the auction, register at the secure site: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/mountainoyster2021/
PHOTO CUTLINE – LifeScape empowers people to live their best lives.
Apr 13, 2021 | Community
Electric Cooperatives Donate $5,000 To Build Spink County EMS Center
Contact: Ben Dunsmoor, Communications Director, Northern Electric Cooperative
BATH – Emergency medical services are the cornerstone of the community. And organizers of a project in Spink County hope a new emergency medical services (EMS) center will build a solid foundation for the future of emergency response in the county. “It is necessary,” Mike Sanger, the director of Spink County Ambulance said. “When businesses look to move to Redfield, they ask about the school, the hospital, and ambulance and fire.”
Members of the Spink County Ambulance Service and the Redfield Community Memorial Hospital and Clinic Foundation are working to build a new EMS center in Redfield. A portion of the new building will house on-call EMTs because half of the county’s emergency responders live outside of Redfield and two of them live in Aberdeen. They currently stay in an old home that was purchased near the hospital, but the new EMS center would provide dedicated living quarters.
The new EMS center will also allow the EMTs to stay in the same building where the ambulances are parked. The county’s three ambulances will be housed in the EMS center. Right now, Spink County’s three ambulances are parked in two different locations and emergency equipment is kept in four different storage areas throughout Redfield. The proposed EMS Center would allow the ambulance service to operate more efficiently and serve all its needs with one building.
Organizers are also planning for a community room in the new building to host CPR trainings and community blood drives.
Spink County Ambulance Director Mike Sanger believes the project will help attract new EMTs in the future.
“We need to get younger people in here and it is hard to recruit if you don’t have good facilities or good equipment,” Sanger said.
Organizers of the project have been working to raise $580,000 for the building for the past three years. Northern Electric Cooperative teamed up with East River Electric Power Cooperative and Basin Electric Power Cooperative to donate checks totaling $5,0000 on March 12.
“We know how crucial emergency services are to our rural communities,” Northern Electric Cooperative CEO/General Manager Char Hager said. “This project will improve emergency response and put the Spink County Ambulance Service in a good position to grow and retain EMTs into the future.”
Spink County Ambulance currently averages 500 calls a year and provides emergency response to an 1,800 square mile area in Spink County and portions of Beadle, Faulk, Brown, and Hand counties. About $150,000 has been raised for the EMS center so far.
“We’re excited about it and keep plugging away looking at every option, financing and fundraising,” Sanger said about the fundraising efforts.
Organizers of the project hope to break ground for the building this fall.
