Grant money goes to work

Crews installed new roofing

25-year rated roof last? At the McKenzie River Clinic, it lasted 43 years, through snowstorms and ice storms—the same way, supporters say, that the Clinic itself kept going as a well-loved, local, medical clinic.

“Somehow, some way, no matter what the setback was, the board and the staff always found ways to keep the Clinic open,” according to Val Rapp, president of McKenzie Valley Wellness, which owns the building. “But there was never money to replace the roof.”

Until this spring. Thanks to a generous grant from CycleOregon, and a partnership between McKenzie Valley Wellness and Orchid Health, which runs the medical practice, the roof was finally replaced.

McKenzie Roofing was on the job last Friday, May 15th. The crew replaced some damaged plywood before installing new 3-tab shingles. New gutters went up the next day.

The roof renovation is part of the Clinic’s ongoing transformation, starting in January when Orchid Health took over the medical practice. Rapp said, “The new roof—and new color—are just outward signs of deeper changes going on inside the Clinic. Orchid Health now offers new telehealth options for some medical visits, enabling people to get medical care while staying safely at home. Call 541-822-3341, Monday through Thursday, to learn more about what telehealth options are available. (Some visits really do have to be made in person.)”

McKenzie Valley Wellness, a local nonprofit also owns the land. “Now that Orchid Health runs the medical practice—and we’re very glad that they do—our first job, as a landlord, is to take good care of the building itself,” Rapp said. “In the future, we’ll look at ways that we can take on an expanded role in the wellness of the McKenzie Valley community.”

Image: Workers took advantage of a break in the weather to tear off and replace the roof on the McKenzie River Clinic.