health center

By Derrick Vander Waal SIOUX CENTER – This is how it all started . . . Dr. Del Lassen, the fun-loving and generous medical director and family practice physician at Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center, sent out this all-staff email on Thursday, Nov. 11, with “Christmas giving” in the memo line. Dr. Del Lassen of Promise Community Health Center holds an armful of some of the bags of Tootsie Rolls he was given by Christmas by fellow staff members in response to his fun emails begging for gifts. Dear Promise family, It is time to begin planning for your holiday giving. I am writing to remind you that gifts to the medical director -- though not required -- are a wonderful thing. Guilt is a terrible thing to deal with and not giving the medical director a gift could potentially cause guilt. Some may describe this memo as selfish and self-serving, but I’m just trying to add to your holiday joy. It will feel GOOD to give. And I’m ready to receive!!! [I will send additional remind...

SIOUX CENTER – When Pastor Eddy Arturo Olguin moved to Sioux Center a year and a half ago, people in his church, Amistad Cristiana, told him many positive comments about Promise Community Health Center . So, his family started going to the health center for care. The Rev. Eddy Arturo Olguin, pastor at Amistad Cristiana in Sioux Center, began serving on the Promise Community Health Center board earlier this year. He thinks Promise plays an important community role and is happy to serve in that capacity. “I went to Promise, and I enjoyed it. For me, it was right,” Olguin said. “When I have questions, there are people speaking Spanish. They help me in Spanish. That is good. They have the attitude to help people in anything – not just Spanish. They help with insurance – how to do it – and about the doctors. So I enjoy that. It is a great help. It was right for me.” Then, the invitation came for him to serve on Promise's Board of Directors earlier this year. He accepted it. “It’s an opp...

Peoples Bank and Sioux Center Public Library donated 50 "First 100 Words" books to Promise Community Health Center to give to families of newborn babies. Pictured are (front, from left): Kari Ney, Promise nurse; Ruth Hernandez, Promise medical assistant; Becky Bilby, library director; David McAlpine of Peoples; (back) Belinda Lassen, Promise midwife; Dyla Bolkema of Peoples; Judy Dirkse of library; and Lisa Dykstra and Michael Gallagher of Peoples.   SIOUX CENTER – Every family that has a baby with the help of one of Promise Community Health Center 's midwives will receive a book. Peoples Bank of Sioux Center and Sioux Center Public Library partnered on a project to donate “First 100 Words” – a book of 100 pictures with descriptive words to go with them – to Promise and Sioux Center Health to give to families of newborn babies. Promise was supplied with 50 books to get the program started. “We want to ensure that any new child born in Sioux Center has a book because w...

SIOUX CENTER – Sioux Center Christian School fourth-graders are sharing God’s love to children at Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center this Christmas season. Every child who comes in for an appointment during December will receive a paper angel, a baggie of almond bark pretzels and a chocolate bar, and a small booklet with the Christmas story from Luke 2. All of the items were handmade by the students. Promise Community Health Center nurse Kristen Schuler demonstrates how much sugar is in a can of Coke to Sioux Center Christian School fourth-graders. The class toured the health center after donating handmade items and goodies to give to children who have appointments at Promise this Christmas season. The fourth-grade project was part of a school-wide challenge to provide service to others during the Christmas season. Laura Van Ravenswaay, one of the three fourth-grade teachers, said the 57 students in the class were excited to take part in the project. “Our goal was to enc...