Winneshiek Medical Center Leading The Way To Better Health

Winneshiek Medical Center Foundation

Winneshiek Medical Center has been caring for you, your family and neighbors for close to 90 years. And we will continue to do so.

But when it comes to financing special projects to improve technology and to increase the variety of services offered locally, we need your help. The rapid changes in rural healthcare require hospitals to seek private funds for capital growth and replacement of equipment, educational opportunities for staff, the purchase of new technology and more.

The Winneshiek Medical Center Foundation is a non-profit organization with the stated purpose of soliciting and managing gifts of money and/or property to be used to help ensure continued quality healthcare for our region.

There are several different ways to support the Foundation, from tax-deductible gifts, such as cash, pledges, securities, life insurance and real estate, or participating in one of our special events, such as the annual Festival of Trees and Holiday Home Tour.

We invite you to review the many ways of giving to and supporting the Winneshiek Medical Center Foundation. For additional information, feel free to contact us at foundation@winmedical.org.

Ways to Give

Winneshiek Medical Center's mission is to deliver the highest-quality healthcare to the people of our region, while improving technology and expanding services. This goal would not be possible if not for the generous support from our community. Following are descriptions of the many ways you can invest in the future of our community's health care.

Memorial and Tribute Gift Programs
A charitable gift to the Winneshiek Medical Center Foundation is an appropriate way to pay tribute to special friends while they or living or to honor the memory of a departed loved one.

A gift in memory included in your will can extend your personal influence beyond your lifetime, while continuing to provide ongoing support for the services at Winneshiek Medical Center. Whether in sympathy, as a living memorial or in honor of a birthday or other special occasion, your gift will thoughtfully demonstrate a loving concern for all who look to Winneshiek Medical Center for care - now and in the future.

The Winneshiek Medical Center Foundation sponsors several gift programs that benefit different areas. They include:

  • Hospice Memorials - Named in memory of loved ones, Hospice Memorials benefit the compassionate end-of-life care offered by Winneshiek Medical Center Home Health & Hospice
  • Light for Life - This annual Winneshiek county-wide giving program recognizes tributes and memorials through the purchase of Christmas lights. Several giving levels are offered.
  • Celebration of Life - October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Celebration of Life is a way to honor or remember someone special, while helping in the fight against breast cancer. Each year, Celebration of Life benefits Winneshiek Medical Center's First-Time Mammogram program, which offers a rebate check to women receiving their first mammogram at WMC.
  • General Memorials - Memorials may be made to Winneshiek Medical Center at any time. Funds are placed in an unrestricted account, and are used to support a project designated by the Foundation Board on an annual basis.
  • Endowment - Gifts made in honor or memory may be designated for the Winneshiek Medical Center Endowment, which when fully funded, will support programs and projects in the areas of community health, patient care, improving technology and expanding services.

Planned Giving
The most common forms of giving are annual gifts of cash or securities. Planned gifts provide donors with a way to make larger gifts than they though possible.

Many gift-giving tools help fulfill charitable wishes while enhancing the donor's or their loved ones' financial security. Types of planned gifts include bequests, life income gifts (such as charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts), retirement plans and life insurance.

To find out about limited restrictions on certain gifts in kind and planned gift arrangements, call the Community Relations Office at 563-387-3129.

You can also email foundation@winmedical.org to receive more information about estate planning, bequests, retirement assets and much more. Consult your personal financial planner or estate advisor for independent advice.

Gift Acknowledgement
Memorial and tribute gifts are announced by way of a special card sent to family members listing all contributors (or stating anonymity) so that they may respond if desired.

The specific gift amount is not mentioned, but a dignified and meaningful message informs the card recipient of your memorial or tribute. In addition, the names of all people honored or memorialized are printed in the appropriate edition of the Community Heartbeat newsletter, received by all community members in Winneshiek County and surrounding areas.

Special Events

You are invited to share in the spirit of community and giving by participating in one of Winneshiek Medical Center's many fund-raising events.

Whether providing support financially through a sponsorship, as a volunteer or simply by attending, your presence helps ensure the future of quality healthcare in our region, while celebrating with neighbors and friends. Join us!

Winneshiek Medical Center Foundation Festival of Trees
This festive annual community event celebrates the splendor of the holiday season through a festive display of Christmas trees, lights, wreaths, poinsettias and vignettes, accompanied by a week of fun-filled activities.

Festival of Trees offers several sponsorship levels, enabling businesses to support this popular event that draws thousands of visitors while gaining valuable business exposure. Contributions are tax-deductible.

For those who would like to contribute a gift of time and talent, Festival of Trees provides many volunteer opportunities, from baking a dessert to assisting with the children's event. We welcome your participation - please call us for details.

Festival of Trees is traditionally held during the third week of November.

Holiday Home Tour
This holiday favorite showcases some of the area's most beautiful homes, all decked out for the holiday season. Maps and programs are provided for this self-guided tour.

The Holiday Home Tour is traditionally held the first weekend in December.

Foundation Board

The Winneshiek Medical Center Foundation Board is comprised of community leaders who volunteer their time, knowledge, compassion and resources in toward our commitment to serving the health care needs of our patients.

2006-07 Foundation Board Members
John Jenkins, President
Charis Hovden, Vice President

Dr. David Bakken
Bridget Casper
Ben Grimstad
Justin Gullekson
Colleen Holtan
Doug Nelson
Donna Rae Ibanez
Joanie Rollins
Bob Usgaard
Roger Huinker - Board of Trustee Representative
Arlene Houlihan - Board of Trustee Representative