DAKOTA MEDICAL FOUNDATION PRESENTS STAR AWARD TO NDHC & VCHC
January 26, 2005

At their annual meeting on January 24, 2005, Dakota Medical Foundation (DMF) presented a STAR award to Pete Antonson, CEO, Northwood Deaconess Health Center, Sharon Ericson, CEO, Valley Community Health Centers and Dr. Jon Berg, Chief Medical Officer, Valley Community Health Centers in recognition of their outstanding performance in reaching and exceeding goals that have positively impacted the health of the people in their region.

The Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to Northwood Deaconess to fund a grantwriter to complete a complicated application to the Bureau of Primary Health Care.  In September 2003, Valley Community Health Centers received a three-year, $1.6 million Bureau grant and designation as a community health center, enabling the clinic to gain a greater reimbursement rate from federally funded health insurance.

“DMF is pleased with the results and gratified that residents of Northwood, Larimore and the surrounding areas will continue to have local access to important clinic services”, says Pat Traynor, DMF President. 

In addition, DMF highlighted Valley Community Health Centers’ achievements in its 2004 annual report, which featured photos of the Northwood community and the Health Center. 

Dakota Medical Foundation, Fargo, ND, focuses its efforts on improving health and access to medical and dental care in the region. Since its inception in 1995, the Foundation has invested approximately $23 million through 670 grants to health-related non-profit organizations in the region.