On June 11th, 2022, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System held the 25th Annual Hospital Hill Run. Walkers and runners participated to raise money for the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation’s Caring Club House. A generous donation of $3,250 was donated to the Caring Club House.

Shown are members of the Hospital Hill Run Committee: Shannon Bleeker, Lydia Newman, and Lisa Dahl, Executive Director of the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation. Also pictured is Suellen Roby, Caretaker, Prairie Lakes Caring Club House. Committee Members not photographed are Dr. Dan Reiffenberger, Tom Beaudry, Chief Tim Toomey, and Bryan Beckedahl.

Sponsors of the 2022 Hospital Hill Run include: Prairie Lakes Healthcare System, Brown Clinic, Glacial Lakes Orthopaedics, Consulting Radiologists Ltd., Drs. Dan and Sarah Reiffenberger and Megan, Nick and Molly, Sanford Health-Watertown, Watertown Public Opinion, Community Blood Bank, Dakota Portable Toilets, Graf Billboard Signs, Watertown Chamber of Commerce, KXLG and First PREMIER Bank / PREMIER Bankcard.

The Caring Club House is a home away from home for out-of-town patients, families, and caregivers receiving services through Prairie Lakes. Funded and furnished completely through community support and donations, the Caring Club House is a not-for-profit, community-based project of the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation, with support from Prairie Lakes Healthcare System. Annual operating expenses more than $17,000. All donations are appreciated and are tax-deductible as allowed by law. If you would like to support the Caring Club House financially or work as a volunteer there, please call the Foundation office at 605-882-7631.

The 25th Annual Hospital Hill Run took place on Saturday, June 11 with a 5K run, 5K walk, and a one-mile walk for all ages. There were 61 timed 5K runners, 29 5K walkers, and 12 one-mile walkers. 

Thank you to our sponsors, donors, and volunteers who helped with the event. An announcement with the total money raised from this year's Hospital Hill Run will be released soon. 

Fastest 5K male runner was Ricky Berndt with a time of 18 minutes 44 seconds. The fastest 5K female runner for the second year in a row was Kate McElroy with a time of 20 minutes 27 seconds.

Download the 5K results: Hospital_Hill_Run_Results_2022.pdf

Proceeds from the Hospital Hill Run benefit the Prairie Lakes Caring Club House. Due to the tremendous support of our community, we raised $3,250 from our 2022 event!

Read Press Release Here

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System has recently made a $2 million donation toward the construction of a new Appropriate Regional Facility (ARF) in Watertown. The Human Service Agency (HSA) broke ground on the facility during the fall of 2021. With mental health needs continuing to rise locally, regionally, and across the nation, this new facility will serve as a significant asset for the support of those in need of behavioral health care in our region.

The new $7 million dollar ARF facility, to be located just behind the main HSA building on 19^th street in Watertown, will provide the region with four additional mental health beds where individuals experiencing a mental health crisis can be treated for up to five days. In addition, the ARF will also provide four beds for substance abuse detoxification and continue as the current Serenity Hills, a 16 bed halfway house for men with a dual diagnosis of mental health and addiction. The ARF facility will serve as a location, outside of an emergency room, that has the staff and resources readily available to care for individuals who present with mental health or substance abuse needs. The ARF facility is the result of a state wide assessment evaluating the need for more regional care for those with psychiatric needs.

“There is a need in our region for additional mental health facilities and we are dedicated to helping meet this need. We have a very collaborative relationship with the Human Service Agency for patients at Prairie Lakes that require clinical expertise and resources that the HSA provides to our community,” Prairie Lakes Interim CEO, Paul Macek, said.  “It’s our partnership with the HSA that links these patients to the services and treatment they need. This new AFR facility will reduce the number of psychiatric and detox walk-ins to the emergency room as these individuals can soon receive the appropriate evaluations and treatment at the right time and receive them directly at the ARF.”

“I am thankful to have such a supportive hospital in our community. We have longstanding and very positive working relationship with Prairie Lakes and their financial contribution to our new mission is proof of their dedication and support to improve mental health services in our community. I look forward to a continued partnership with them as we begin our operations this fall,” said Kari Johnston, Executive Director of the Human Service Agency.

Johnston reports they are continuing to seek donations in support of the Behavioral Health facility to offset the rising and unpredictable construction costs. If you are interested in making a donation, you can go to their website at www.humanserviceagency.org or call Kari Johnston at 605-884-4540.

Have you received your COVID-19 vaccinations? One dose? Second dose? Booster dose?  Second booster dose?  According to the South Dakota Department of Health (SDDOH) on April 6, 2022:

• 72% of the population have received 1 dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
• 59% of the popoulation have completed the COVID-19 vaccination series.
• 33% of the population have received their booster dose for COVID-19.

There are multiple studies available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) related to the proof of increased immunity to COVID-19 when a person has received a booster shot for the virus. 

According to a study prepared by the CDC, receiving two or three doses of an mRNA (the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine) COVID-19 vaccine was associated with a 90% reduction in risk for severe illness or death from a COVID-19 infection.  Protection with three doses of mRNA vaccine during the period of the Omicron variant showed a 94% reduction in risk for severe illness and death associated with a COVID-19 diagnosis. (CDC, March 2021-January 2022.)

An article released on December 8, 2021 in the New England Journal of Medicine stated that among adults aged 50 years and older, the risk of death related to COVID-19 was 90% lower among those who received three doses of the Pfizer vaccine compared to those who received only two doses.

It can be concluded that like vaccines for other diseases, people are best protected against infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 when they stay up to date with vaccinations. COVID-19 vaccines continue to protect people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and even dying—especially people who have received a booster.

There are multiple facilities in our local communities that continue to administer COVID-19 vaccinations.  You can visit www.vaccines.gov to find a COVID-19 vaccine near you or call your local pharmacy or clinic to verify if they have vaccines and boosters available. There is no cost for the COVID-19 vaccine.

References: CDC. (March 2021-January 2022.). Effectiveness of mRNA Vaccination in Preventing COVID-19–Associated Invasive Mechanical Ventilation and Death. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), 1.

 Are you eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination or booster?