Malta Lutheran Church offers hope For Hi-Line Retirement Center

The Hi-Line Retirement Center received news of a most generous gift that kicks-off fundraising efforts aimed at saving and sustaining long term nursing care here in Malta and Phillips County. Malta Lutheran Church President, Terry Wilson notified Hi-Line Retirement Center Administration that Malta Lutheran would be giving a gift of $100,000 to those fundraising efforts. With this wonderful and amazing act of giving, kindness and generosity by the Malta Lutheran Church plans and processes to assist Hi-Line Retirement Center can continue to move forward in a positive and productive manner.

In continuing to explore all options the Hi-Line Retirement Center has also recently approached the Health-Care Foundation Board of Directors for any assistance they can offer in their time of need following the successful completion of their annual Health-Care Foundation’s dinner/auction. While final numbers are getting put together for the entire event to be publicized in next week’s PCN, the Foundation Board greatly thanks and appreciates everyone’s generosity and ongoing sup-port in working to keep healthcare healthy here in Malta, Phillips County.

The Hi-Line Retirement Center Board of Directors in conjunction with the Phillips County Hospital Board of Directors and several community members have formed a Fundraising Committee aimed at identifying immediate solutions for fundraising efforts related to the critical financial situation and issues facing Hi-Line Retirement Center currently as well as into the future. The goals currently identified by this group are:

The first goal continues to be finalized and should be complete within the next 2 weeks, and consisted of purchasing the Country Home business which in turn shall help increase the census, thus, increasing the income of Hi-Line Retirement Center. The $60,000 low-interest, long-term loan, made by the PhillCo Economic Growth Council/Community Fund to purchase the Country Home business was the initial hope that the plan could become a reality.

The second goal was to inform and educate the community as well as answer any questions on the current critical financial situation that Hi-Line Retirement Center is facing that is primarily related to the low census numbers they have sustained over an extended period of time. If you have any specific questions please contact Ward VanWichen, CEO of Hi-Line Retirement Center at 654-1100 ext. 5116.

The third goal on the list is a county wide fundraiser effort to raise $500,000 to bring Hi-Line Retirement Center current with finances. With the greatly appreciated and generous $100,000 gift from the Malta Lutheran Church, the Board of Directors and the Fundraising Committee have even more hope that the people of Phillips County will make every effort to ensure quality long-term care is available, sustainable and viable to our residents and community not only now, but into the future as well. More details of on-going fundraising efforts will be presented in the near future.

The fourth goal involves identifying strategies and solutions in making a conscience effort to utilize their status as a 501(c) 3 (tax exempt/not for profit business) to raise funds and build an endowment for future challenges that may be faced by the organization in the ever changing landscape and environment of Nursing Home/Long Term Care.

So, with the generosity of the Malta Lutheran Church and their gift of hope, which again kicks-off the fundraising efforts in an amazing way, combined with the Board and Fundraising committee’s goals and plans there is a true sense of hope that things will continue to come together to help assist Hi-Line Retirement Center in their time of need. Every one of the residents and staff at the facility are truly grateful and appreciative of the current and ongoing show of community support for long term care here in our community.

Anyone who is wishing to donate may do so at the First State Bank located in Malta, MT.