Tis the season to be thankful, and while this year has provided many challenges, there is so much to be thankful for. In today’s times of adversity, I believe it has been the gift of gratitude that has enabled UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge to really thrive. We’re into our ninth month of ...
We all know that 2020 has been a year like no other. Surging COVID-19 cases and the impending flu season mean that now is the time to make sure we are taking the best care of ourselves to prevent illness and improve our chances of recovery should we get sick. Underlying health issues can ...
A group of people gather weekly to hold one another accountable and to talk about their struggles with addiction. Gambling affects the lives of millions of Americans every day. “For me, gambling started as a spontaneous thing to do to escape stress and boredom. At first it was only $30 or ...
Jerrold “Jerry” Jimmerson was a fourth-grader at Butler Elementary School when his grandmother gave him a metal clarinet that she had purchased years earlier for her daughter, who was his mother. The year was 1953 and that gift was the beginning of a lifetime of music that continues to ...
Who hasn’t heard that everything you need to know about life you learn from kindergarten? It’s been common place to reference these lessons for all of us. Share, be fair, say you are sorry so on and so on. All great lessons. During 2020, I would like to offer we can all learn life ...
This year has brought on a level of stress that has been overwhelming for many; yet nothing can quite compare to the stress of facing the challenges of COVID-19 while overcoming a cancer diagnosis. Nurse practitioner Kari Swisher, her husband Dr. Adam Swisher, and their four children took on ...
As 2020 continues to push us and force us to be innovative in ways we didn’t even know was possible, it’s a good time to reflect on how this year has affected us; the good and the bad. For me, I have loved seeing the camaraderie amongst our team members, the healing of some very sick ...
One of the finest and most devoted chroniclers of Fort Dodge’s rich history has now become a part of that history with the death Oct. 25, 2020, of David George Prelip at the age of 90. Shagging the drag. Dining at Treloars Inn, Constantines, Tony’s. Movies at the Strand, Rialto, Dodge and ...
When Teresa Jackson first pointed out to me my writing style was ….um, interesting, it sparked a curiosity in me that I would spend my life exploring. That was a long time ago, we both had different last names then but found each other in the same classroom. She as my teacher and me as a ...
“She does not judge, and many times people who come to treatment feeling broken and unloved get the chance to feel loved instead of judged for their past mistakes or for the choices they have made.” “She” represents one of Community and Family Resources’ latest full-time staff ...
Nearly half of all Americans will experience a mental health challenge at some point in their lifetime, and taking steps to take care of yourself and others is vital in helping to prevent and minimize these challenges.While Mental Health Awareness Week may be over, mental health is something ...
Though a few months remain in 2020, it’s safe to say that this will be a year we won’t soon forget. Problems that are often ignored have been placed directly under the spotlight, and Iowa has not been immune to the nationwide reckoning. There are numerous issues plaguing rural Iowa. We ...
COVID-19 is not like a cold. Sure, many of the symptoms are the same. The commonly posted, but not exhaustive, low-risk list reads: fever, muscle or body aches, fatigue, sore throat, headache, runny nose, congestion, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. On the high-risk list are shortness of ...
The black convertible carrying a smiling and waving John F. Kennedy crept slowly down Central Avenue, passing by Constantine’s restaurant at Ninth Street and the Melody Grill in the City Square, as thousands of Fort Dodgers craned for a view of the Democratic presidential ...
Being recognized for giving excellent patient care is the greatest honor a hospital can receive. Which is why I’m extremely proud to share that UnityPoint Health – Trinity Regional Medical Center has recently been recognized by two separate entities for the outstanding heart care we ...
I felt my stomach drop the Sunday night my dad called me and told me my grandma — my only living grandparent — had been diagnosed with COVID-19 after a mass-testing effort at the nursing home where she lived. “I just talked to her and she isn’t showing any symptoms,” he reassured ...
The most important task of a parent or caregiver is to keep their child safe. Part of that responsibility is ensuring that children are safely buckled up in the correct, and properly installed, car seats for their ages and sizes. Using the correct car seat could mean the difference between ...
Over the last several months we have all been touched by the global coronavirus pandemic. Together we are facing truly unprecedented times which have dramatically impacted our families, our communities, our businesses and, most importantly, our way of life. While those in positions of ...
In cooperation with many key public and private partners, local and state, the Iowa Central Fire Science Program is continuing to innovate and leverage the regional fire training center located at 1521 Ave. O in Fort Dodge. With support of local and national businesses, more than $200,000 has ...
When Victor Gordon left Fort Dodge for Stanford University in 1969, months after leading the Dodgers to their first and only state baseball championship, his intention was to study law with an eye toward politics and to continue his baseball career at the college level – and maybe ...