Pours for a Purpose raises $415K to advance emergency care
June 23, 2026
Contact: Jillian Johnson
Media Relations Specialist –Bemidji Region
(218) 333-6090 / jillian.johnson@sanfordhealth.org
BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Sanford Health Foundation raised nearly $415,000 during its annual Pours for a Purpose event on June 12 to support a significant enhancement project for the Emergency Department at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center.
As part of the evening, the Sanford Health Foundation announced a transformative $1 million gift from retired Sanford emergency medicine physician Dr. Richard Stennes and his wife Nilla in support of the project. In recognition of his generosity and decades of service to the region, the department will be named the Stennes Emergency Department upon completion of the project.
“Dr. Stennes dedicated his career to ensuring patients in northern Minnesota had access to high-quality emergency care close to home,” said Dr. Jason Caron, President and CEO of Sanford Health in Bemidji. “His extraordinary generosity and commitment to this community will have a lasting impact on generations of patients and families.”
Sanford Bemidji is the only Level III Trauma Center within 70 miles and serves more than 176,000 people across seven counties and 16 communities. Demand for emergency care continues to grow, with more than 26,500 emergency department visits completed in 2025—an average of 73 patients each day. Nearly 1,100 patients were treated for life-threatening conditions in 2024.
The Emergency Department enhancement project has a total fundraising goal of $2.6 million and will include:
- Safety-enhanced behavioral health rooms
- Dedicated law enforcement entrance and space
- Additional security features throughout the department
- New trauma and treatment rooms with state-of-the-art equipment
- A remodeled fast-track area for lower-acuity patients
- Care transition spaces for patients awaiting next steps
- Renovations to all existing exam rooms
- Improved storage and workflow efficiencies
- Equipment upgrades to support bariatric patients
- Additional restrooms and patient accommodations
“This project will help us provide faster, safer and more efficient care for the thousands of patients who rely on our Emergency Department each year,” Dr. Caron said. “We are incredibly thankful for Dr. Stennes’ transformational gift and for every donor, sponsor and supporter who joined us at Pours for a Purpose. Together, they are investing in the future of emergency care for our communities.”
The Sanford Health Foundation will continue fundraising efforts toward the project’s $2.6 million goal. Community members interested in supporting the Emergency Department enhancement project can contact the Sanford Health Foundation at (218) 333-5505.
For more information about Sanford Health Foundation, visit sanfordhealthfoundation.org.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 55,000 employees and serves more than 2 million patients and nearly 415,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 58 hospitals, 289 clinic locations, 145 senior care communities, 4,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and 1,100 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to nearly 80 specialties. More than 400 residents and fellows are trained each year through graduate medical education with Sanford Health fully funding and supporting 29 of the 40 available programs. Sanford Health also includes Lewis Drug, a pharmacy and retail chain with 60 locations in three states and nearly 190 pharmacists. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
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