NEWS RELEASE
Committed to the future of rural communities
. United States Department of Agriculture • Rural Development 375 Jackson St. • Suite 410 • St. Paul, Minn. 55101 Phone: (651) 602-7800 • Fax: (651) 602-7826 • Web: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/mn
Contact: Adam Czech, Public Information Coordinator Phone: (651) 602-7799 (office); (320) 309-1160 (cell) E-mail: adam.czech@mn.usda.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ribbon Cut on New Bertha Medical Clinic
$700,000 from USDA Rural Development helped finance project
BERTHA, Minn., May 15 – About eight months after ground was broken, a new clinic is ready for patients in Bertha. The clinic was built by Tri-County Hospital, which operates a hospital in Wadena and clinics in Bertha, Henning, Ottertail and Sebeka. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program awarded $700,000 in funding to Tri-County Hospital for the project. “Tri-County Hospital provides quality and modern healthcare options in rural Minnesota,” said Steve Wenzel, State Director of Rural Development in Minnesota. “Rural healthcare in our rural communities is a top priority of the Bush administration and USDA Rural Development. Quality healthcare creates more jobs, economic growth and an increased quality of life in our rural communities.” A direct loan of $500,000 comes from USDA Rural Development. The other $200,000 is a Rural Development guaranteed loan through Star Bank in Bertha. The funding comes from Rural Development’s Community Facilities program, which finances essential community buildings and vehicles. Other funding sources include a Minnesota Department of Health Grant of $25,000, land donated by the City of Bertha for the new site (value estimated at $15,000) and Tri-County Hospital internal reserves of $60,000. This is the third major project Tri-County Hospital has completed with the assistance of the Rural Development Program of USDA. Other projects include the Tri-County Hospital expansion and renovation project completed in 2005 and the purchase of Fair Oaks Lodge rehabilitation and long-term care facility in 2004. Since 2001, USDA Rural Development has invested almost $4 billion throughout rural Minnesota. The agency has financing available for a variety of projects, including water and sewer systems, renewable energy, housing and economic development. For more information, visit www.rurdev.usda.gov/mn, or call the local office in Alexandria at (320) 763-3191. - End -
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