Community Room to be Named for North Coast Health Care Advocate
(Wheeler) – Formal groundbreaking for the new Nehalem Bay Health Center and Pharmacy will take place on Saturday, July 20 in Wheeler. The public is invited to mark this auspicious milestone in the community effort to improve health and senior care in north Tillamook County and beyond.
The groundbreaking events will take place at the site of the new Health Center: the corner of U.S. Highway 101 and Hospital Road in Wheeler, across the street from Wheeler City Hall. Events will begin at 11:00 am.
The new 16,000 square foot Health Center is being developed by the Nehalem Bay Health District and will replace the current facility which is too small to accommodate expanded and new services able to reach more patients. The project represents a major upgrade in local health care delivery, featuring 15 exam and treatment rooms, a dental suite, behavioral health, x-ray and a modern retail pharmacy.
The new Health Center will also feature a community room equipped with a teaching kitchen that will accommodate classes and demonstrations. The room will serve Health Center staff, as well as the community.
During a community celebration and fundraising event on June 23 the Health District announced that the room will be named the Leila Salmon Community Room in honor of the long-time north coast community and health care advocate.
Leila Salmon has volunteered for a range of community causes, including serving as president of the Manzanita City Council, as a member of the Tillamook County budget committee and chair of the former Rinehart Clinic board, the precursor to the new Health Center.
The idea of honoring Mrs. Salmon originated with the generosity of the Samuel S. Johnson Foundation (the family foundation of former north coast state Senator Betsy Johnson).
The foundation made an unrestricted $15,000 donation to the Health District earlier this year with the suggestion, as Senator Johnson wrote, “that our contribution be associated in some fashion with the years of dedicated service provide by Mrs. Leila Salmon. For years. Mrs. Salmon was one of the Rinehart Clinic’s champions, She was a ferocious advocate, fundraiser, political ‘arm twister’ and ‘volunteer extraordinaire.’ Her influence on the availability of medical services in the region cannot be overstated.”
“The Health District board of directors wholeheartedly agreed,” said Marc C. Johnson, president of the board, “and enthusiastically endorsed the naming of the new community room in honor of Leila.” Johnson noted that Mrs. Salmon is still mentoring and advising local officials and remains deeply involved in the community.
Mrs. Salmon’s advocacy for health care extends far beyond the north coast of Oregon. Before her “retirement” and relocation to Oregon she served as chair of the New York State Mental Health Planning Council, advising the governor on the use of mental health funding. She later trained mental health professionals for the federal Department of Health and Human Services and also served as executive director of a national organization of mental health professionals.
The Health District board expresses it heartfelt thanks to the Samuel S. Johnson Foundation for its generous support to improve health and senior care on the north coast.
For updates on the progress of the new Health Center project visit: www.nehalembayhd.org
