I would like to invite everyone to Save Our Healthcare’s celebration turn out from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at New Denmark Park in Albert Lea.

Our first turn out, on Oct. 4, 2017, began just three days after the loss of the first health care service from our community, the special care unit. The initial intent of the turn outs was to spread community awareness of the loss of medical services and the dedication of the Save Our Hospital group to do just that: save our hospital.

Since that first turn out, we have changed our name to reflect our new focus from saving a specific hospital to saving health care in our community. We continued showing up week after week to the turn outs to show our continued commitment to health care in Freeborn County. Our final turn out this Wednesday will be in celebration of the signing of the letter of intent with MercyOne.

At our final turn out, we will be celebrating more than a new health care provider coming to our community. We celebrate 100 weeks of turn outs! We celebrate the dedication of everyone who stood in the rain, the heat and freezing weather — those who stood at New Dennmark Park no matter what Mother Nature threw at them! We celebrate all the honks and waves. We celebrate dedication, friendship and community as well as health care.

Angie Hanson

Albert Lea