Jan. 12, 2021
NEILLSVILLE – In 2019, a small group of Clark County community members joined together to lead the capital campaign committee to build Marshfield Medical Center-Neillsville. They knew the new medical center and wellness center would be important to their rural community, but they had no idea how crucial improving health and wellness in Clark County and surrounding areas would become in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trevor Wuethrich, CEO at Grassland Dairy Products, Inc., along with his wife, Tonia, were some of the first to join the capital campaign committee and help engage community support. As a lifelong resident of Greenwood and member of the Marshfield Clinic Health System Foundation Board of Directors, Wuethrich knew that philanthropy was essential to building Marshfield Medical Center-Neillsville for the future of Clark County.
"The Wuethrich family goes back three generations on the Neillsville hospital board," Wuethrich said. "I wanted to take that legacy and help build affordable, quality health care here in Clark County."
The $1.75 million capital campaign set out to fund the Wellness Center and Infusion Suite in Marshfield Medical Center-Neillsville. Though the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to the project, essential construction continued on Marshfield Medical Center-Neillsville throughout 2020.
"The people of Clark County need accessible, expert, compassionate health care now more than ever," said Ryan Neville, chief administrative officer, Marshfield Medical Center-Neillsville. "Thanks to the generosity of our community and our Health System's commitment to rural health care, Marshfield Medical Center-Neillsville and the Wellness Center will be here to serve our residents through the pandemic and for generations to come."
Inspired to help their community during difficult times, Wuethrich, the rest of the capital campaign committee chairs, Wayne and Peggy Gross, Bob and Barb Petkovsek and Mike and Deb Perkl, doubled down on their efforts to fundraise for the new hospital. They found unique ways to connect with community members to support the project, but they also made personal commitments to ensure the success of the campaign.
The Wuethrich family and Grassland chose to make a leadership gift of $300,000 to the campaign to name the Marshfield Medical Center-Neillsville lobby and large conference room in the medical center, which is the largest gift to the campaign. With this gift, the capital campaign is currently at 92% of the $1.7 million goal.
"We are so proud to support the new Marshfield Medical Center-Neillsville," said Wuethrich. "It is our hope that this gift ensures not only our Grassland employees, but our community members, access to rural health care which is a true value to the area. I want to thank everybody who is out there supporting this campaign. I am so excited for the future of our community with this hospital, and this is just the first step."
"We have always said that Marshfield Medical Center-Neillsville is being built for the community and because of the community," said Teri Wilczek, chief philanthropy officer, Marshfield Clinic Health System Foundation. "Our capital campaign committee has been instrumental in seeing the new hospital and wellness center through to completion. The Wuethrich gift and other gifts to the campaign exemplify the strength and commitment of the Clark County community coming together to help one another even during difficult times. We are truly grateful for their generous support."
The 16-bed hospital, including access to 86 specialties through Marshfield Clinic Health System, and new Marshfield Clinic Health System YMCA Wellness Center are on track to be completed and open by May 2021. For more information or to support the capital campaign, contact Teri Wilczek at wilczek.teri@marshfieldclinic.org or Sheri Dick at dick.sheri@marshfieldclinic.org.
