The power of loving where you live

Marcia Benway describes North Dakota as “unlike anywhere she’s ever been” — and she is determined to help give this community the healthcare facility it deserves. 

We spoke to Marcia about the intricacies of a transient giving population, strengthening the hospital’s relationship with the community and the importance of asking for help. 

Can you share your "why" for healthcare philanthropy?

My “why” has evolved over the last four years. When I joined CHI St. Alexius Health Williston just over four years ago, I applied for a marketing position — but quickly realized it was so much more. My “why” at that point was wanting to educate our community about the wonderful people who worked in our facility, as well as about critical access facilities in general. Fast forward two years, and I found myself in a dual role as the marking specialist and foundation coordinator. My “why” developed again! Once I got familiarized with the foundation role, I couldn’t give it up.

My role today as the Marketing, Foundation and Volunteer Services Manager lets me have a direct impact on our community. My “why” now is to not only promote our various projects and the wonderful people who work here, but also to help transform our facility into the hospital our community deserves.

What is unique about your community and this current season of fundraising?

Rural northwest North Dakota is unlike anywhere I have ever been. We have such a transient population that come to work in the oil field who don’t claim Williston, ND as their home. This means they do not appear on our population census and they don’t set up primary care, or they are contractors in the industry who do not have insurance. This increases the burden on our emergency department. 

We also have a lot of people who have become the first millionaires in their family simply by working hard. There is no such thing as income profiling here because nine times out of ten, the guy in the flame-resistant hooded sweatshirt makes three times as much money as the guy in the suit — and a farmer could very likely have monthly royalty checks coming in so fast, he does not know what to do with them. For many of these folks, philanthropy is a new concept, and it is especially hard to convince them to donate to a hospital.

People still have the common misconception that we make a lot of money because we are a hospital. They have no idea that we are non-profit and give upwards of $21,000,000 every year in care that is not paid for. On the other hand, some of these people are incredibly generous — but may have lived through previous years where funds were raised and projects were never realized. We are so excited to break ground on some of our major projects and show our community we really do want what is best for our patients and the community we serve. I always say, “We want to be the facility you deserve, but we know we can’t do it alone. We are so very proud to be part of a community that we know will help us reach our goals.”

Any words of encouragement you would share for small-but-mighty teams?

I’m the gal who cooks the meal for her golf event the night before in her own kitchen (it was impossible to find a caterer the first time, and now the teams request my pulled pork). I know this will sound incredibly ironic coming from me, but ASK FOR HELP! When people see how invested you are, they will want to help. Be present in everything you can within your facility and your community. People will see the effort you make and jump in. 

I am so blessed now to have an amazing Foundation Coordinator, Chelsea, but we still ask for help often. It is impossible to think you can do it all alone — and trust me, I have learned the hard way. Do what you can do. It’s ok if you have to say no to something or ask for back-up from someone else in your facility. I found so many staff members who love to be involved in community activities, but I would never have known if I didn’t ask. Involve as many people as you can, every time. Not only will it help you, but your community will see how involved your team is. That is great for community relations, which is a big part of what we do. The more places you and your team show up, the more chances you have to talk about your projects. 

Finally, lean on our National Philanthropy team. They are a great resource, even if it is just to brainstorm ideas. I would encourage you to link up with colleagues in similar situation. I have some of the best meetings with other critical access foundation leaders. Everyone has a different perspective, and it is great to set aside some time each month to catch up, see what everyone is doing and bounce ideas off of each other. 

What is one of your proudest moments or successes at CHI St. Alexius Health Foundation?

Until recently, I would have to say repairing the relationship with our city officials. For years, there has been little to no contact between city officials and hospital leadership. The city disliked us a lot, and the mayor was not afraid to tell anyone who asked. He even started a campaign to bring a competing hospital in. 

When Dave Jones was our Interim President, I was able to set up a meeting with the mayor and a couple other city officials. While there were moments when it got a little heated, we were able to break down the walls and explain what critical access was, and how hard we were working. We concluded the meeting with a hospital tour showcasing our various foundation projects and everyone left happy and excited for the future. I left that meeting a little nervous that I came across too strong, but the first thing Dave said to me in the elevator was “That was awesome!” Fast forward three months and we received a $20,000 donation from the City of Williston for our new emergency department. We had officially repaired the relationship! I now regularly meet with the Director of Economic Development and we brainstorm ways we can help each other, whether through recruiting, fundraising or housing for employees. They finally have realized we are on the same team, we all want what is best for our community. 

Two weeks ago our foundation board approved an $8 million emergency department expansion. I am so proud of our board and the relationship I have with them. Thank goodness, because we have a lot of fundraising to do!

On a personal note, what is your favorite part of summer?

The sun! North Dakota winters are long! I love being outside with my husband and the dogs, camping, fishing, hiking, heading the lake to swim or paddle board, and spending time with my family. I have two nephews and a niece in Canada and they take turns coming to Williston for at least a week each summer. It fills our calendar up fast as summer is so short here, but it is our favorite time of the year. 

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