Pastor and parishioner "team-up" for donation to Graceville Health Center

by Sr. Elizabeth Frenzel, OSB

When it comes to good things, Graceville, MN has a lot going. The predominantly Irish community, pop. 605, is almost the last station in the northwest corner of the New Ulm diocese. It boasts a hospital, nursing home, clinic, and home health services that form part of Graceville Health Center. Holy Trinity Hospital, owned and operated by the Missionary Benedictine Sisters, is one of only two Catholic hospitals in the diocese.

Providing quality health care in rural areas is always a struggle, in terms of personnel and finances, so there is cause for rejoicing whenever good people step forward to help. Case in point: the pastor and a member of the local Holy Rosary parish, Graceville.

Last year Graceville Health Center received a $175,000 grant from the 2000 Rural Hospital Capital Improvement Grant Program, Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Rural Health and Primary Care for new lab equipment and computers. GHC began sponsoring various events to raise its $47,000 portion required by the grant. One such event was the Columbus Day Chili Feed & Silent Auction. Frank Guenther, a Holy Rosary parishioner who is one of Graceville’s master woodworkers, offered to make and donate an oak sweater cabinet for the silent auction. When the pastor of Holy Rosary, Father Jack Nordick, lost out on the bidding, he struck a deal with Frank: "If you will make another cabinet for me and donate your service, I will donate $1,000 to Graceville Health Center." Frank agreed.

Frank set to work and during a local observance of Hospital & Nursing Home Week this past spring, Graceville Health Center received the promised $1,000 donation.

By the way, the highest bidder for the original sweater cabinet was another parishioner, Art Abel, a deacon at Holy Rosary. In a friendly bidding contest with Father Jack, Art slipped in at the last minute to raise the priest’s $400-something bid by one dollar. Art is the social services director at Grace Home which celebrated its 25th anniversary in August.

Graceville Health Center’s mission is to promote Christ’s ministry of healing. With the help of donations from friends like Frank Guenther and Father Jack Nordick, it can do that a little more easily.

Sister Elizabeth Frenzel is the Graceville Health Center Public Relations director.