The two hours of Oktoberfest at the WildEdge Brewing Collective in Cortez were crowded with good-spirited people enjoying good spirits.
It was part-fundraiser, with the goal of expanding prenatal care to the Southwest Medical Group Mancos Valley Clinic in the form of obstetric ultrasound screenings.
Before the fundraiser, the clinic was roughly $15,000 to $20,000 short of its $80,000 target for expanding such care, said Southwest Health System’s Chief Executive Officer Joe Theine.
“We’re raising money and bringing the community together,” Theine said.
Much of the crowd were folks from the hospital. Two physicians – Dr. Amanda Mullen and Dr. Jay Anderson – played music together after a day of work.
Beside the musos, the Southwest Memorial Hospital Foundation – the board raising the money – set up a table to field questions and hand out educational pamphlets.
“We have to get creative to raise money,” said Abby Nuetzel, the foundation’s president. “It’s great to collaborate with WildEdge.”
The brewery offered the space and donated $1 from every Monkeywrench brew sold to the cause. Fenceline Cider also pitched in, donating $1 from every cider sold at the brewery that night.
“We all want health care here, especially as it gets closer to winter,” Nuetzel said.
She said that as it stands, patients must come to Cortez for all obstetric care, which deals with childbirth and prenatal care.
Prenatal care – which includes ultrasounds and all things and appointments for mother and baby before birth – is expected to be in Mancos in January.
About that time, they plan to expand their hours of operation and be open on Fridays as well, Theine said.
“It’s some of the many improvements and expansions we’re planning to bring to the Mancos clinic,” Theine said.
