Appreciation Page for Heart Mountain Free Clinic, Cody, WY

HMFC

Heart Mountain Free Clinic

HMFC

Ruth Edge, RN

Chair
Ruth retired after spending 24 years working as a Public Health Nurse in Wyoming, the last 10 of those years in Powell. Her areas of interest included maternal/child health, especially working with first-time mothers in the Nurse Family Partnership Program, providing health consultation to local child cares, and serving in Meeteetse in positions of school nurse and an immunization advocate for children and adults. Ruth has been involved in community health planning for over 15 years with the Park County Health Coalition, Park County Coalition Against Substance Abuse, and other coordinating organizations. She was one of the original organizing committee for Heart Mountain Volunteer Medical Clinic.

Theo Riley, PhD

Vice-Chair

After graduating from Utah State University with a Ph.D. in psychology, Theo worked as a psychologist in Montana, Wyoming and the Marshall Islands. A majority of that time was spent at West Park Hospital, Park County Mental Health Center (Yellowstone Behavioral Health Center), and private practice in Cody, WY. Theo is partly retired but continues to do psychological testing for the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. Since the health care environment is constantly changing, she applied to become a board member for the Heart Mountain Free Clinic to gain more information about current medical needs, to find and support ways to finance the clinic, and to use her psychology background when needed. Theo is pleased to be part of a dedicated team of volunteers who give their time and share their knowledge to serve patients in the Big Horn Basin.

Randy Feusner

Treasurer

Randy is a husband, father of four and grandfather of eight, three of which are triplets. He grew up in Powell, Wyoming. After college he lived in Billings and Missoula before returning to Wyoming, and has now lived in Cody for 18 years. He is an independent financial advisor with offices in Cody and downtown Billings. He enjoys sports, waterskiing on Big Horn Lake and flying for business and pleasure. He spends most of his spare time with his children and grandkids, who are spread out across the country between Wyoming and Florida.

Georgina Draur Hopkin, RN, MSN, MPA, PhD

Past Chair

Georgina Hopkin graduated from Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing in Omaha with an RN, where she worked in Orthopedics, Neurology, and Neurosurgery and was an assistant head nurse. She received a BSN from Clarkson College of Nursing in Omaha in 1983, and while managing a busy Open Heart Critical Care Unit, earned a Masters degree in Public Administration and a Graduate Certificate of Specialization in Gerontology from the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 1989. In 1997, she earned a PhD in Community and Human Resources with a tract in Educational Gerontology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and was an adjunct professor of Advanced Nursing and Leadership and Management at Methodist College of Nursing for a time. In 2009, she earned a Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Phoenix, and took several classes toward being a Nurse Practitioner from The University of Massachusetts-Boston. She is a member of Golden Key National Honor Society and the Omnicron Delta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She has been on several boards of directors, including Condon State Bank in Kansas, works on call at a financial brokerage firm, and owns several businesses in retail and real estate.

Richard Anderson, MD

Dr. Anderson graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1972, and completed his internship and residency in internal Medicine in Michigan. Upon moving to Wyoming, he worked on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Indian Health Services. In 1978 Dr. Anderson moved to Cody where he was one of the first two internal medicine specialists to practice. After 10 years he moved to Billings, MT where he was associated with St. Vincent Health Care. Approximately three and a half years ago he moved back to Cody and presently works for West Park Hospital. Dr. Anderson is a regular provider with HMVMC, and joined shortly after the opening of the Cody branch in 2010. Dr. Anderson has been practicing medicine for 36 years and is board certified and a fellow of the American College of Physicians.

Pastor Steve Nelson

Steve is an ordained pastor serving four churches in Wyoming and employed by the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. In addition to his pastoral ministry, he is the President of The Hope of Survivors and an international speaker on clergy sexual abuse. Steve holds a degree in Social & Behavioral Sciences and is a Board Certified Biblical Counselor (BCBC) through the Board of Christian Professional and Pastoral Counselors, a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC).

Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?"

The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish in the ocean."

"I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing them in the ocean?"

"The sun is up and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in, they'll die."

"But, young man, don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all

along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely, then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said- “It made a difference for that one.”

Design by Leah Lentz

Carol Torbit:

Carol is one of those volunteers that you can call on at the last minute to come in and help. She is probably our most faithful lay volunteer and has been since the start of the clinic. The wisest man that ever lived said, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10) must have been talking about Carol because that is what she does.

Richard Anderson:

Dr Anderson has been a long time clinical provider for HMFC. He is also currently serving on our Board. Dr Anderson has been quoted saying, “this is one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in 40 years of practicing medicine.” However, patients that see him feel that it is rewarding for them to see him.

Doug McMillan:

Doug and Cody Regional Health have been so supportive of Heart Mountain Free Clinic from the very beginning in 2010 – not only providing space for HMFC to see patients and deliver services, but providing lab and X-ray's for our neighbors with no insurance. The Board and our patients extend to you our heartfelt thanks! We could not exist without this help from you and Cody Regional Health.

Jack Webb:

Jack has, again and again, taken the reins countless times to keep HMFC from floundering. He has brought a strength and steadiness in a times of much need -- and brought us into the world of accurate data collection! Ruth has told him several times that she was able to “sleep at night after Jack came on board as the HMFC Executive Director.” And now, after retiring (again) from the Executive Director’s position in December 2017 he is back on the Board to lend us his expertise and unique perspective. Jack has been, and continues to be, a true asset to HMFC!

We are ALL glad to have his continued guidance, for the cost of apple pie!

All of our volunteers (medical and non-medical) make the clinic successful. We couldn't survive without them and our patients appreciate the love and kindness they show. Starfish awards are given to volunteers for their outstanding service and are nominated by their fellow volunteers. Starfish awards are presented by Heart Mountain Free Clinic (HMFC) Board Chair, Ruth Edge, who honors our volunteers with her gifted presentation of the "Starfish Story", a wonderful narrative of each recipient, and a gold starfish pin and certificate. Every quarter HMFC expresses gratitude to several of our volunteers.

The starfish story explifies why we all work so hard to assure every patient feels they are cared for individually:

The 2018 Starfish Awards have been given to the following volunteers:

Second Quarter

Wanda Webb:

Wanda has been a HMFC Board member and clinic volunteer for – years. When the clinic lost their Patient Care Coordinator it was Wanda that stepped in and took on the role of Patient Care Coordinator to keep the clinics running smoothly. Wanda has always brought excellence, creativity, and great ideas to the Board and staff to help HMFC better serve its’ patients. Her caring concern with patients and her knowledgeable relations with our volunteer health care providers create a Free Clinic we can be proud of. Thank you for making such a difference!

Ruth Edge:

Ruth has served on the Board of the Heart Mountain Free Clinic from its inception. She has worked tirelessly to make sure the clinic survives and thrives. If a volunteer is needed for the clinic at the last minute, she is there; if errands need to be run for a last minute project, she is on it; if there is a training that will help us improve, she is taking it. Ruth is the consistent thread that runs through the fabric of HMFC… she is a part of the HMFC “brand.”

Ruth is always praising others and working in the background to create a strong foundation. She started the Starfish concept at HMFC and has distributed 56 Starfish Awards since it began in 2009. It is about time she be on the receiving end of the gratitude train!

First Quarter