Support for community hospital

I want to again show my support for a locally run, full care hospital and encourage others to share their support, which is also a show of support of the survival of our community as we know it.

I was recently in the hospital for four nights and it was such a blessing to have the hospital here for me and my family (the hospital was full). The doctors and other workers took very good care of me. It would have been a terrible burden if I would have had to be taken by an ambulance to an out-of-town hospital. It would have been a hard burden for my family to come see me. The cost of having to drive out of town can be quite high - driving back and forth or having to get a motel room, cost of food, loss of work time, cost of gas and always the chance of bad roads. These amounts would rise into the hundreds of dollars just for one medical problem. So over a year, out-of-town travel for medical care could reach into the thousands.

I am now at a local retirement center and I am thankful for having this facility here for special needs care. The loss of a full care hospital would have a downward spiral effect on the loss of probably the Pioneer Home and some of the other health care facilities, and down into the school system and then into the business community. The loss of many, many jobs would be devastating to every facet of this community.

I believe the hospital board and county commissioners are on the right track for repairs and upgrading the hospital for more modern needs but will need extra funds in order to do so. It is so important that the community support these goals. It is much cheaper than having to travel out-of-town, it keeps our family and friends from losing their jobs and it continues to give us good, local care. Let's not take the chance of losing the heart of the community - the hospital and other healthcare facilities.