Health care vital for local communities

As a former Ritzville resident and fourth generation farmland owner, I wish to share my personal observations gleaned from annual return visits and from the many articles and commentary in the Journal.

Having a B.S. degree in nursing along with extensive experience in the health care field, I’ve read with interest the controversy over the hospital issues. I’ve seen the struggles that other small communities have had and I will say that small community hospitals are a dying breed.

The two most important essentials I see that Ritzville needs to attract new families to the community are adequate health care and education infrastructure. I’m sure that many small communities would be delighted to have the robust school system that Lind-Ritzville has, and you should be justifiably proud of what you have, however, without a functioning health care delivery system the community cannot hope to be competitive, and will doubtless experience further decline. These days many people can work from and live anywhere they choose, and they are looking for a proper small town setting within which to raise their families.

It’s time for the petty politics to be set aside and everyone who continues to love this gem of small town Americana to come together and build up, not tear apart, a service so essential to the community. Without it the many other attractions that Ritzville possesses, such as the golf course, the municipal pool, the bowling alley and the newly refurbished theater, with be increasingly difficult to maintain. Please continue the quality health care for Ritzville and for the future health of the community.

Brenda (Nissen) Clark, El Prado, NM