Foundation Raises Funds for Ear, Nose & Throat Surgical Equipment and Instrumentation

Brookings, S.D. – Aug. 22, 2019 – More than 30 teams participated in Brookings Health System Foundation‘s tenth annual Aiming to Inspire Health sporting clays fundraiser on Thursday, Aug. 15 at Medary Creek Hunt Club, rural Aurora, S.D., presented by First Bank & Trust.

Net proceeds of $19,200 will help purchase new Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgical equipment and instrumentation for Brookings Hospital.

The recent additions of Otolaryngologists Dr. Thomas Tamura of Midwest ENT and Dr. Jonathan Mellema of Avera Medical Group have significantly expanded access to Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) services at Brookings Health. Area patients may receive diagnosis, treatment, medical and surgical services for conditions affecting the head, neck, sinuses, ears, nose and throat close to home. 

The new equipment and instruments will enable otolaryngologists to perform minimally invasive procedures for patients, including pediatric procedures like PE tube insertion and tonsil and adenoid removal for kids. The equipment will also include a surgical platform and navigation system for image-guided sinus surgery. The navigation system will increase sinus procedure accuracy and safety, resulting in shorter recovery, less pain and better outcomes for patients. 

Winners from the event include:

• First Place Adult Team —141; Big Dogs (defending champions): Mark Widman (Tea, S.D.) and Rich Widman, John Knight and Terry Wieczorek (Brookings, S.D.)
• First Place Adult Individual — 42; Rod Brandenburger (Brookings, S.D.) 
• Second Place Adult Individual— 40; two-way tie Chris Karch (Brookings, S.D.) and Terry Wieczorek (Brookings, S.D.) 
• First Place Youth Individual— 39; Wyatt Drew (Brookings, S.D.) 
• Second Place Youth Individual— 29; Jason Poppen (Brookings, S.D.)
• Drawing, Team— Avera Medical Group Brookings (Brookings, S.D.) 
• Ghost Clay Drawing— James Ericson (Minneapolis, M.N.)
• Lowest Individual Score— Holly Ralston (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
• Early Bird Drawing— TSP, Inc. (Sioux Falls, S.D.)

Winners of the Aiming to Inspire Health raffle sponsored by Sanford Health Brookings Clinic include: 

• Grand Prize Benelli Ultra Light 12 Gauge Shotgun: Joel Edman (Volga, S.D.)
• Second Prize YETI Hopper Cooler Filled with Hunting Supplies: Mason Winterboer (Brookings, S.D.)

Event sponsors included First Bank & Trust; 3M Brookings; Avangrid Renewables; Avera Medical Group Brookings; BankStar Financial, Banner Associates; Bowes Construction; Century Business Products; Dacotah Bank; Eide Bailly; Falcon Plastics, Inc.; Helsper, McCarty & Rasmussen P.C.; Hy-Vee; Kraus-Anderson Construction; Kerry’s Landscaping; Kjergaard Sports; Olympic Companies, Inc.; Runnings; Sanford Clinic Brookings; Scheels Sioux Falls; Thompson Electric and Vom Ike Kennel Drahthaars.

For more information about Brookings Health System Foundation, please contact Foundation Director Sara Schneider at (605) 696-8855 or [email protected]. 

About Brookings Health System

Brookings Health System, located in Brookings, South Dakota, includes a 49-bed hospital, the 79-bed The Neighborhoods at Brookview nursing home, Brookhaven Estates senior living apartments, Yorkshire Eye Clinic, and medical clinics in Arlington, White and Volga, South Dakota. It is a non-profit, city-owned facility that offers the community a full range of inpatient, outpatient, emergency and extended care services. Brookings Hospital provides local access to doctors in Brookings and offers robotic da Vinci surgery and Mako robotic-arm assisted procedures, making it one of the premier rural community hospitals in South Dakota. For more information about the services offered at Brookings Health System, please call (605) 696-9000 or visit us on the Web at brookingshealth.org.

About Brookings Health System Foundation

The mission of Brookings Health System Foundation is “Inspiring people to support Brookings Health System through philanthropy, recognizing the vital role of local healthcare in sustaining quality of life in our community.” Gifts to the Foundation support charity health care for those less fortunate, health and wellness education, facility, equipment, and technology upgrades and other needs as they arise at Brookings Health System. For more information about Brookings Health System Foundation or how you may contribute, please contact Foundation Director Sara Schneider at (605) 696-8855 or [email protected].

PHOTO: Big Dogs successfully defended their first-place team win at Brookings Health System Foundation’s tenth annual Aiming to Inspire Health sporting clays fundraiser, held Aug. 15 at Medary Creek Hunt Club. The event raised $19,200 to help fund new ear, nose and throat surgical equipment to perform minimally invasive procedures at Brookings Hospital, including pediatric procedures like PE tube insertion and tonsil and adenoid removal for kids. Winning Big Dogs team