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| January 13, 2006 | |||
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Today's travels included a visit to Rock County Hospital, located in Basset, Nebraska. Not all rural communities are fortunate enough to have a hospital, and those that do take great pride in them. Rock County Hospital, located in the county seat, is a small hospital that provides a variety of services to residents of Basset and surrounding communities. It is made up of a hospital wing, health clinic, and long-term care facility. It provides services such as ultrasounds and mammograms once a month, with specialty medical providers coming to the hospital on a rotating basis. It is the largest employer in the county, providing the equivalent of 80 full-time jobs, but it is largely staffed by nurses and a nurse practitioner and physician who both see patients. Rock County Hospital's primary physician is John Cherry. We received a guided tour of the hospital from him, during which he explained the many ways in which the hospital is a gift to the community, and told us about his love for living and working in this town. He has previously worked at hospitals in Boston, Minnesota, and most recently Lincoln, Nebraska, but he was drawn to Basset because of the quality of life that he saw here. He appreciates the beauty of nature in this area, and the fact that he is part of a small, caring community. He could have had a faster paced life in a larger community, but instead chose to use his gifts to care for his people in the rural area that he loves, and that loves him. He is a living example of the strong attraction that small towns can have for people who are interested in a different way of life than what cities have to offer. |
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Jordan Miller and Brahm Smith stand ready for action during a guided tour of the
Bassett firehouse by Tim Hinkhouse. Volunteer firefighters carry pagers 24 hours a day that
alert them when they are needed. |
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Mayor Mike Skulavik and Economic Development Coordinator Pat Thompson talk with the Rural Immersion class at the Range Cafe in Bassett. This restaurant is connected to the historic Bassett Lodge, which was recently purchased by the community and is being restored to its vintage 1950's look. |
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