St. Charles Health System announced today recipients of a variety of Community Benefit grants, awarding more than $100,000 to 31 local organizations in Central Oregon. The grants were awarded to provide basic needs, sponsor local events and as part of St. Charles’ Priority Grant to increase a sense of belonging and reduce loneliness and isolation.

From funding food boxes in schools to community activities at a local senior center, the grants will help communities across Central Oregon with a wide range of needs.

Hearts Unknown Education, a local nonprofit that supports art and music for at-risk youth, received $7,500 to expand its programming. The local nonprofit offers a safe, welcoming space for students to create art and music, while also providing support for positive mental health.  

“Many kids need a place to feel like they can be themselves and feel free to express themselves through art and music in an environment where they are appreciated for being themselves,” said Nicola Carpinelli, director of HUE, which serves more than 100 youth every week through a variety of programs. “This funding is going to help us maintain and expand offerings and we are grateful for the support from St. Charles.”

Learn more about St. Charles Community Benefit program on our website.

This spring more than 2,000 third graders throughout Central Oregon will learn about brain injury prevention and helmet safety through the Train Your Brain program taught by local athletic trainers, now part of St. Charles Health System. This program, formerly led by The Center Foundation, provides interactive assemblies and free multi-sport helmets to local elementary students.

“St. Charles is proud to continue this injury prevention program and to continue providing athletic trainers at eight local high schools, helping to ensure the safety and education of students in Central Oregon,” said Christy McLeod, Senior Vice President of Specialty Service Lines for St. Charles.

For 15 years, the Train Your Brain program has distributed more than 1,000 free helmets for local students every year, ensuring kids have proper head protection for activities such as bicycling, skateboarding, rollerblading and scooter riding. The 2025 program begins in April, just in time to prepare students for a safe and active summer.

The presentations include interactive demonstrations on injury prevention, helmet safety, proper fitting and care. A highlight of the assembly is the melon drop, which emphasizes the importance of wearing a helmet. Following the presentation, St. Charles caregivers and volunteers will properly fit free helmets for every student who needs one.

“Helmet safety is a simple yet crucial way to prevent serious head injuries in children,” said Stuart Schmidt, Athletic Training Program Manager at St. Charles. “Through the Train Your Brain program, we aim to instill lifelong safety habits in young students, empowering them to protect their brains while having fun. We also want to thank our school districts for recognizing the significance of this safety initiative and to our partners for making it possible to provide free helmets to every third grader in Central Oregon who needs one.”

To learn more about Train Your Brain and our athletic trainers, visit our webpage.

Today, St. Charles Health System announces that its integration with The Center Orthopedic & Neurosurgical Care is officially complete, helping to secure and stabilize access to orthopedic, neurosurgical, physical and rehabilitation medicine throughout Central Oregon. The Center is now part of St. Charles Health System and is operating under a new name – St. Charles Center for Orthopedics and Neurosurgery.

One primary goal of this integration is to restore and expand access to orthopedic care, addressing the significant reduction Central Oregonians have experienced over the past two years. Now that the integration is complete, the St. Charles team can turn its attention to recruiting additional providers in these specialty areas to serve the region and provide more access to care for patients.  

“Today we are celebrating this integration as securing and stabilizing a critical health care function for our region. We are thrilled that 27 physicians and 29 advanced practice providers will be part of the new St. Charles Center for Orthopedics and Neurosurgery,” said St. Charles President and CEO Dr. Steve Gordon. “We anticipate it will take some time for patients to see an improvement in access to orthopedic care as we work to recruit additional physicians to fill the gap in the community. Please be patient with us during this time of transition.”

Dr. Christopher Healy, former Board President of The Center, now Senior Medical Director, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery & Physiatry, has helped lead the transition.

“Leadership teams from both The Center and St. Charles have put forth a profound effort to help ensure a smooth transition. The former physicians and staff of The Center have been proud to provide excellent care to the Central Oregon community for several decades, and while the name is changing, our commitment to exceptional care remains. Without any loss of providers or staff with this transition, we look forward to maintaining and expanding services for our beloved region.”

All locations where The Center formally operated remain open under the St. Charles Center for Orthopedics and Neurosurgery name. The phone number for appointments remains the same at 541-382-3344. Patients with questions about appointments, billing or medical records can find information on our website. Teams answering the phones are expected to have high call volumes and appreciate understanding as they work to address each and every call.

In 2024, St. Charles Foundation awarded nearly $90,000 in scholarships to 28 individuals pursuing health care careers, helping St. Charles caregivers and community members pursue secondary education and training in nursing, pharmacy, phlebotomy, Medical Assistant training and more.

Jordan Machtelinckx, who currently serves as a tech in the Emergency Department at St. Charles Bend, received a $5,250 scholarship to pursue a Bachelor of Science of Nursing degree through a new accelerated BSN program in Bend through Oregon Health & Sciences University. He is the first recipient of the new Dr. Lowery-North Nursing Scholarship and Education Fund, which was established in honor of Dr. Doug Lowery-North who practiced emergency medicine for three decades and served as a flight surgeon in the Air National Guard.  

Machtelinckx says the scholarship makes a meaningful impact on his life. “It makes a huge difference and eases the stress, allowing me to focus on the education,” said Machtelinckx. The 33-year-old Bend resident also volunteers with Deschutes County Search and Rescue and has a long history of being involved in wilderness medicine. He hopes to continue to work at St. Charles after graduating from the program later this year.

St. Charles Foundation director Jenny O’Bryan says funding scholarships is a way to help fuel health care careers and give St. Charles caregivers an opportunity to expand and grow in their professions.

“Through this scholarship program, Foundation donors are helping community members pursue their dreams while also growing our health care workforce. It’s a wonderful program worth celebrating,” said O’Bryan.   

The scholarship fund is one of many ways the Foundation helps support the health of Central Oregonians. Learn more about the efforts of the St. Charles Foundation: https://foundation.stcharleshealthcare.org/.  

About St. Charles Foundation

The mission of St. Charles Foundation is to support St. Charles Health System in the delivery and advancement of world-class health care in Central Oregon and achieve its strategic goals. Philanthropic donations fund innovation in programming, building expansions and initiatives that improve the patient experience. The St. Charles Foundation works with the community to develop and steward philanthropic resources to fund programs and capital projects that improve health, prevent disease, enhance quality of life and provide the highest quality care possible for all St. Charles patients now and in the future.

Today St. Charles Health System announced the recipients of a variety of Community Benefit grants, awarding more than $155,000 to 29 organizations in Central Oregon. The grants were awarded to provide basic needs, to support local diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, to sponsor local events and as part of St. Charles’ Priority Grant to increase a sense of belonging and reduce loneliness and isolation.

Local nonprofit Prevention Intervention Recovery Services by SriPonya received $15,000 to help support a new drop-in space in Madras for youth. It’s a one of the many ways the organization is working to help students develop life skills and resilience to avoid drug and alcohol addiction.

PIRS President John Charles says that the grant from St. Charles aimed at reducing loneliness and increasing belonging will make a big difference in the organization’s ability to open the new space, which is set to open within the month in downtown Madras.

“We will have food, computers and support to help students succeed and be their authentic selves,” said Charles. The group also hosts a sports program in Warm Springs and Prineville as well as numerous programs, workshops and other efforts for youth and adults across the Tri-County region – all in support of prevention, intervention and recovery. “We are coming in with our sleeves rolled up and we are here to help and really want to serve,” said Charles.

Applications are open now through Feb. 28 for the next round of grants from the Community Benefit team at St. Charles. Organizations can learn more and apply on the website.

Five nurses from St. Charles Health System recently earned DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nurses, recognizing the outstanding, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day. The nurses, who represent all four St. Charles hospitals in Bend, Redmond, Madras and Prineville, were recognized with a ceremony on their respective units and presented with a certificate, a pin and a "healer's touch" sculpture by their hospital’s chief nursing officer. The honorees are:

The nurses earning DAISY awards are:

• Ryan Armand-Priefer, a patient care nurse at St. Charles Bend, was recognized for exemplifying the highest standards of nursing care and compassion and demonstrating extraordinary dedication and kindness while providing excellent medical care.

• Andrew Baca, a nurse at St. Charles Redmond, was recognized by a fellow caregiver for "consistently demonstrating his selflessness, his compassion and above and beyond effort to go out of his way to help. Andrew truly is a team player who excels in so many ways."

• Sadie Larson Robinson, a Nurse Navigator for Cancer Services, was recognized for compassionate treatment and support, and truly caring for her patients. She was specifically recognized for going over and above to help a patient rearrange their first chemotherapy treatment so that their spouse could also attend.

• Megan McPhetridge, a wound care nurse at St. Charles Prineville, was recognized for providing awesome, compassionate care to a wound ostomy patient and putting them at ease, as well as providing an effective treatment plan that fit the patient's needs.

• Jennifer Wienert, a house supervisor at St. Charles Madras, was recognized for going above and beyond her job responsibilities and during her personal time to anonymously assist a patient with personal matters, including volunteering to care for a patient’s dog.

About the DAISY Awards:

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.

St. Charles Health System is announcing today plans to open a pilot community pharmacy in Madras in late spring of 2025, helping to fill a critical health need and improving access to prescription medication for the region. Many community organizations came together to open this new pharmacy through funding and support, including Central Oregon Health Council, which provided $460,000 in funding for the project. The new pharmacy will be located at the site of the former Hometown Drug, near downtown Madras and only three blocks from St. Charles Madras.

“Recent pharmacy closures mean Madras has just two pharmacies and they are overwhelmed. Patients are driving outside of the area for services or sometimes going without their needed medications because getting them filled is too challenging,” said Michael Powell, chief pharmacy officer for St. Charles. “We know that when people don’t have access to necessary medications it increases their risk for hospitalizations and other poor health outcomes.”

Pharmacy closures have become commonplace across the United States including in Oregon and Central Oregon, with Oregon ranking second worst in the nation for pharmacy access. By opening this new pharmacy, St. Charles and local community partners aim to prevent Jefferson County from becoming a pharmacy desert, an access issue that disproportionally affects Hispanic/Latino neighborhoods among others.

“Our Mosaic Pharmacy in Madras has been at capacity every day since we opened a few years ago, and we’ve understood for a long time that there is a real need for additional pharmacy services in Jefferson County,” said Megan Haase, FNP and CEO of Mosaic Community Health. “We don’t have the space to expand our current pharmacy to meet the needs of the community and are fully in support of this new partnership to increase access to pharmacy services in Madras. We believe that this project will help lead to better health for all residents of Jefferson County.”

Powell anticipates demand for services at the new pharmacy will be high. Records show that the former Hometown Drug location was filling 10,000 prescriptions per month when it closed.

“We are thrilled to buck the trend and open a new community pharmacy to help provide needed access to our community,” said Dr. Leo Savage, a primary care doctor at St. Charles Madras Family Care who has worked as a physician in the community for 25 years. “Every day I talk with patients who are scrambling to get their prescriptions filled or even going without. This development will have an overwhelmingly positive impact on the lives of our patients.”

Once opened, the pharmacy will fill prescriptions (in store and via a drive-up window) and provide immunizations, medication management, injections for long-term care needs and retail sales for over-the-counter medicine and durable medical equipment (like crutches or walkers). 

“I am thrilled St. Charles and our local partners are able to bring this vital service to the communities of Madras, Warm Springs, Culver, Metolius and beyond,” said Todd Shields, Vice President and Hospital Administrator for the Madras and Prineville hospitals. “Together we are helping improve the health of Central Oregonians.”

More than 650 people turned out to support St. Charles Foundation’s annual Prineville Hospice Auction on Dec. 7, which raised more than $180,000 to support hospice programs. The popular annual event held at the Crook County Fairgrounds Indoor Arena includes a festive live auction of handmade quilts and Christmas trees as well as dinner, raffle and more.

“The Prineville Hospice Auction is a wonderful way for the community of Crook County and beyond to show support for the hospice programs while also spreading holiday cheer and good will,” said Jenny O’Bryan, executive director for the St. Charles Foundation. “The dollars raised help provide funding for education support services, grief counseling, bedside volunteers, spiritual counseling and more for St. Charles’ hospice programs.”

Best quilt honors went to “Cabin in the Woods,” donated by The Quilt Shack and the best tree award went to “Honoring the Timber Industry: A Lost Profession” donated by Coldwell Banker Sun Country Realty, Inc. 

About St. Charles Foundation
The mission of St. Charles Foundation is to support the delivery and advancement of world-class health care in Central Oregon. Philanthropic donations fund innovation in programming, building expansions and initiatives that improve the patient experience. The St. Charles Foundation works with the community to develop and steward philanthropic resources to fund programs and capital projects that improve health, prevent disease, enhance quality of life and provide the highest quality care possible for all St. Charles patients now and in the future. Learn more about the efforts of the St. Charles Foundation: https://foundation.stcharleshealthcare.org/. 

Community members throughout Central Oregon are invited to a day of celebration in recognition of Native American, American Indian and Alaskan Native Heritage month at St. Charles Madras on Thursday, Nov. 14. The celebration will include a Native Market with 10 artisan vendors from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, complimentary fry bread tacos and a presentation of the new land acknowledgment and artwork in the hospital’s Galleria. The Native Market is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the land acknowledgment presentation will take place at 1:15 p.m.

During the event, St. Charles President and CEO Dr. Steve Gordon will share why a land acknowledgement, which was developed in partnership with members of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Spring, is important to St. Charles and surrounding communities.  

“This acknowledgement is a way for us to pay respects to the original inhabitants and to recognize Indigenous people as the original stewards of the land upon which we reside and work,” Gordon said. “We hope that by sharing this acknowledgment we can aid in emotional healing, invite personal inquiry and reflection, and help set a positive tone for future generations.” 

The presentation will also include Kiksht language speakers from Madras High School and Warm Springs K8 Academy.

The land acknowledgment and accompanying artwork will be on permanent display in the main entrance at St. Charles Madras. In the coming months, the acknowledgment will also be installed at other St. Charles locations. Learn more about St. Charles’ land acknowledgment on our website.

Community members with unwanted medications on hand can dispose of them safely during a free event hosted by St. Charles Health System and the Bend Police Department from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26 at the Bend Police Department, 555 NE 15th St., Bend.

The take-back event is intended to help Central Oregonians safely dispose of medications to protect the environment and fellow community members. During last year’s event, community members brought in 329 pounds of medications and sharps for safe disposal.

No questions will be asked. Individuals can drive through the parking lot and drop off medications right from their car window. Bend Police evidence technicians will accept the medications, then give them to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to dispose of safely.

Any non-oncology medications will be accepted. Liquids, pills, powders, patches, creams, prescriptions or over-the-counter medicines can be dropped off. In addition, sharps will be accepted if they’re properly packaged in a sharps container for disposal. Representatives from St. Charles pharmacy will also be on-site to answer questions.