CentraCare Health – Long Prairie surpasses capital campaign goal with gift from Dan’s Prize Inc.

CentraCare Health Foundation announces its $2.5 million Building a Healthy Community capital campaign stretch goal has been surpassed with a $100,000 gift from Dan’s Prize Inc. The capital campaign, which began in April 2014, had an initial goal of $2 million to support the new CentraCare Health – Long Prairie medical campus building project.

"At Dan's Prize, we take great pride in supporting the communities where we have operations," said Jeffrey M. Tobak, president of Dan's Prize. "We are proud of our donation that will help CentraCare Health - Long Prairie provide the best health care possible for the community and surrounding areas for generations to come."

To date, 463 donors have pledged $2,501,285.88 in support of the Building a Healthy Community capital campaign. CentraCare Health employees pledged over $400,000 of that goal. In addition to the commitment from Dan’s Prize, Inc., principle gifts have also been received from Farmers Union Industries, LLC; Lee and Jan Hanson & Family; Paul Van Gorp, MD and Bobbi Knutson; and Rodger and Marlys Bense. The lead gift of $500,000 was received from the Rosen Family Foundation. Community members, local businesses, local civic organizations and many who grew up in the Long Prairie area wanting to give back, have also contributed to this project with over $760,000 in donations.

“The fact that we not only met the minimum $2 million goal, but surpassed even the stretch goal of $2.5 million speaks to the generosity of the community. I am so impressed with the energy this small community has put into the Building a Healthy Community capital campaign, as well as, other new initiatives in Long Prairie. This support makes it possible for us to continue to provide the best health care possible and meet the growing needs of the people in our area.” said Brad Konkler, vice president of philanthropy, CentraCare Health.

“When we started this campaign, our minimum goal of $2 million seemed like a long way away, but in the end the response from CentraCare Health employees, individuals, businesses and organizations came together to support this transformation of health care in our community. We received gifts from $1 to $500,000, and every one of them is important. Words cannot express how grateful we are to the donors for their contributions. The CentraCare Health employees and volunteers and the Long Prairie community have gone above and beyond to make this project a reality.” said Dan Swenson, administrator, CentraCare Health – Long Prairie.

CentraCare Health – Long Prairie’s new 65,000 sq. ft., $25 million medical campus will replace the existing 60-year-old facility and better serve the rural community by:

• Improving access to care and offering a wider array of services for patients.
• Providing ample space for improved technology and visiting specialists.
• Helping retain and recruit qualified physicians and staff.
• Positioning CentraCare Health – Long Prairie as a model health care campus offering an innovative continuum of care in a rural setting.

Construction on the new medical campus will begin this spring with expected completion in the summer of 2017.

As the project moves into the construction phase, fundraising efforts will continue to support pieces of the project that wouldn’t be possible without the generosity the community.

For information or to make a donation, contact Nicole Bjerke, CentraCare Health Foundation development officer at 320-732-7337.