One year ago Kootenai Health’s emergency operations team convened for the first time to discuss the possible threat of a novel coronavirus. No one would have predicted the significance of this new virus to our health care system, our community and our world.

In the twelve months since, the health care heroes at Kootenai Health have devoted their energy and expertise every single day to serve our community in these unprecedented times. Thankfully, our donors have as well by giving $1.5 million for our Health Care Heroes Fund, some of those funds will support the operating costs of the Kootenai Health community vaccine clinic.

Kootenai Health is assisting Panhandle Health District in every way possible to accelerate vaccination opportunities in our community. Working together, we can end this pandemic. To find more information about Kootenai Health’s vaccine clinic, click here.

Thank you to all who continue to serve our community in its time of need. Together, we can look forward to a brighter tomorrow.

“My husband, Laurie, and I were delighted to learn that we could donate to Kootenai Health’s Health Care Heroes Fund after receiving our vaccine to support our local health care workers during the past difficult year. We were able to get our first Covid-19 vaccination at Kootenai Health and we were impressed with the efficiency, organization and helpfulness of the employees staffing this critical community effort. It was really an emotional moment walking through the doors of the clinic. We encourage everyone to get started on their vaccines so we can all go back to our normal lives—and to support our hospital and dedicated health care workers. Each of us needs to do our own part in helping to get through these hard times.”

-Cathy & Laurie Kraus