SLV Federal Bank’s Donation Strengthens Rural Healthcare at Conejos County Hospital

San Luis Valley Federal Bank recently donated $10,000 to Conejos County Hospital, a vital rural healthcare facility in San Luis Valley. The donation was presented to the hospital staff by Mark Bechaver, CEO of SLV Federal Bank, and Delzia Worley, Chief Operating Officer. This meaningful contribution represents a strong commitment to supporting the health and well-being of our community.

Mark Bechaver highlighted the importance of the donation, saying, “CCH is a vital part of Conejos County and the San Luis Valley.”

Zachary Weiderspon, Administrator of Conejos County Hospital (CCH), shared several exciting updates. This year, the hospital aims to invest in a new Hamilton ventilator that will help support advanced life safety for ER and trauma patients. The ventilator helps sustain adequate ventilation for patients experiencing respiratory distress and maintain a patient’s airway in critical care situations.

CCH is fortunate to have all board-certified Emergency Room Physicians and a team of nurses that are Trauma Nurse Core Course (TNCC) certified to provide critical care when needed.

Zach shared, “The addition of a new ventilator will build in system redundancy and continue to provide our team with the best equipment to take care of our patients. This will be our second Hamilton ventilator that has advanced features for both adults and pediatric patients. The ventilator also functions as a transport ventilator in the event we need to transfer a patient to a higher level of care.” The SLV Federal Bank donation will help secure this vital equipment, leveraging a 50% matching grant to maximize the hospital’s investment. “Any donation we receive, I want to direct it toward helping serve our patients,” Zach noted.

Conejos County Hospital plays a critical role in the region, reducing the need for residents to travel long distances for emergency care. Having these tools to take care of patients is essential. Serving an area larger than the state of Connecticut between two mountain ranges. Time, skills, and resources matter. They matter not only for residents of the valley but also patients traveling through the area. In fact, the hospital has treated patients from more than 28 states in the past year. Serving as reminder how important our rural hospitals are for those in need.

This partnership between San Luis Valley Federal Bank and Conejos County Hospital is a testament to the power of community support. Together, they are ensuring that quality care remains close to home, reminding us that when neighbors help neighbors, our entire valley grows stronger.