Northfield Hospital & Clinics has announced its intentions to re-open the former Northfield Urgent Care Clinic located at 2014 Jefferson
Road, Suite C.
The clinic, which closed its doors permanently on June 30th of this year, was a staple of the Northfield health care for 12 years. The clinic’s demise, along with the closing of the emergency clinic operated by NH+C in October, has left the community without access to quick, non-emergency medical care.
The now re-named Northfield Hospital + Clinics Urgent Care Northfield is on track to open in early February. It will offer both evening and weekend hours, Monday through Friday from 8am-8pm, Saturdays and Sundays from 8am-4:30pm.
NH+C Director of Communications Betsy Spethmann said the new Urgent Care Northfield will offer on-site imaging for x-rays as needed, plus an on-site lab for quick results on lab tests. COVID testing will be available by appointment.
As part of NH+C’s network, Spethmann said those working at the clinic will be able to diagnose problems and then take advantage of the organization’s deep resources by directing a patient to the proper level of care needed. This will include referrals and appointments with specialists.
Urgent Care Northfield will offer care for adults and children 6 months and older. Spethmann said the clinic will be open to all, and one need not be a patient with Northfield Hospital + Clinics to receive treatment.
Carroll discusses Northfield Shares annual meeting and philosophy
Northfield Shares, the area foundation that helps to support several local non-profit organizations and has been responsible over the years for some memorable community events will host its annual meeting on Wednesday, December 8, at the newly refurbished Northfield Depot.
Those attending the meeting will see a familiar face in a new role. Carrie Carroll, the longtime program director with Northfield shares, has been appointed as the Interim Executive Director. Former ED Sarah Nathan, who only started the job in January, has been recruited by a community foundation in Ohio to be their executive director, and has moved on to that position.
Carroll is a natural fit for the role. She has been with the foundation for four years, and in the absence of an executive director at the end of last year, oversaw the production of Northfield Shares an Evening of Talent, a very successful virtual fundraiser.
“I’m very familiar with the work that Sarah had been doing, as well as previous Executive Directors,” she said. “I’ve been in the trenches. I know what our goals are. I want to be a part of this community and build our community foundation.”
Indeed, Carroll has been instrumental in that work. Along with the virtual event last winter, Carroll was also the point person for ReCharge Northfield, an electric vehicle showcase that brought Northfield Rotary, the City of Northfield and Northfield Shares together with ReCharge America, an organization that promotes the use of electric vehicles. The event generated so much enthusiasm, and so many donations, that Northfield Shares was able to establish a new Environmental Sustainability Fund, and Caroll said, the event will return to Northfield in 2022.
Obviously, the first order of business is the annual meeting, which Carroll said is open to the public. It will be an opportunity to discuss the vision of the foundation, talk about the successes of the past year and look toward 2022.
The coming year still won’t be what we’d all like it to be, she said, but her organization will continue to take advantage of opportunities to inspire volunteerism and bring people together wherever it can.
“We’re not going to change too much as an organization on the whole. So, we want to continue to inspire people to volunteer. And we know that some of the things we want to do we just can’t yet because of all the crazy pandemic stuff, but when there’s a chance to recognize an opportunity, I would hope people will continue to grab that.”
Winter Walk adds Snowflake Hunt
Northfield’s Winter Walk, organized by the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce, will return to Division Street next week on Thursday,
December 9th. The theoretically annual event is Northfield’s holiday celebration, marked by music, food, special appearances by holiday characters, and downtown shops and restaurants offering specials and events.
Chamber President Lisa Peterson and Event and Membership Director Jane Bartho said this year should have been the 23rd Winter Walk, but the two-decade run was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. But this year, Bartho said, the event is making up for lost time.
“It’s bigger and better [than ever], and we grew it by one block. We’ve shifted the street blockades south all the way down to 8th Street. And everybody has a little bit of something going on whether it’s music, or treats or performances on the Showmobile.”
Among the many events this year, is a brand new treasure hunt. The Chamber announced yesterday that it will place a Snowflake Ornament somewhere on Northfield public property. The person who finds the ornament will win $750 in Chamber Bucks.
The first clue will be revealed at 8:00 on Monday morning through the Chamber website, the Northfield News website, the KYMN website, and on the KYMN morning show. There could be as many as four clues during the hunt, one per day until the morning of the 9th, the day of Winter Walk. If the ornament is not found by 5:00 on that afternoon, the hunt will officially end for the year. The location will then be revealed and there will be no winner named.
Winter Walk will begin at 5pm on December 9th. The event will offer a host of events this year. For a full listing and the official rules for the Snowflake Hunt, visit the Chamber website at northfeldchamber.com.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
