Dr. Paul Crellin is honored as 2009 Philanthropist of the Year by the St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation. A retired pediatrician, Dr. Crellin co-founded the Children's clinic in 1953 and founded The Child Study Center in 1971; for the study of children with learning and attention disorders. Dr. Crellin was also instrumental in the development of St. Vincent Healthcare's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Now, many years into retirement, Dr. Crellin continues to impact the lives of our community's children through his philanthropic and professional leadership, supporting the St. Vincent Healthcare's mission to provide pediatric intensive care services through the Montana Pediatric Project.

MDU Resources Group, Inc. is honored as the Corporate Philanthropist of the Year by St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation on Saturday night. MDU Resources has a rich history of championing children's healthcare in our region. Since 1966, it has answered St. Vincent Healthcare's Call to Care through many gifts. One of its recent gifts assisted in joining St. Vincent Healthcare and the March of Dimes to create Montana's first and only Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Family Support Specialist. Now, MDU Resources Group has stepped forward with capital to create access to quality healthcare for children in underserved rural areas through a major grant to the Montana Pediatric Project. Their recent support will enable St. Vincent Healthcare's RNs, CPNs and Nurse Practitioners to extend a statewide education effort to teach rural Montana medical providers to use a color-coded system for evaluating and treating children in emergencies. This training will help reduce medication errors, treatment time and ultimately transfer time - all components which play into patient outcomes and con impact the level of care a child may need. MDU's early support has helped leverage an additional $1 million dollars for the Montana Pediatric Project for Foundations and individuals.

St. Vincent Healthcare is honored to recognize a group of volunteers who have chaired the SAINTS Benefits for the past 30 years. Their generous contribution of time and talents have helped to improve the quality of life for people in our community.

In 1979, a group of dedicated volunteers, led by Patty Nelson, Jane Vaughan, and Sister Michel, originated the idea for SAINTS (St. V’s Annual Invitational Nifty Time for Sponsors) to celebrate St. Vincent Hospital’s 80th birthday. This first SAINTS benefit raised money for the hospital’s new regional rehabilitation center, New Hope. To this day, New Hope is a premier comprehensive regional rehabilitation center for patients suffering from traumatic injuries or diseases. The first SAINTS benefit was held at Blain’s Ranch and Heliport with a pitchfork barbeque and dancing.

Thanks to the generosity of our community, in its 30 year history, SAINTS has raised $4 million! Throughout the years, proceeds from SAINTS  have supported many notable projects in our community:

• Ronald McDonald House
• Northern Rockies Cancer Center
• Elizabeth Seton Prenatal Clinic
• Adolescent Treatment Program
• Care Line for Seniors
• HELP Flight Program
• Mammogram screenings and cancer education
• ASK-A-NURSE 24 hour healthcare information phone line
• Diabetes education programs
• Centennial Healthcare Program
• Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery
• Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
• Pediatric Specialty Clinics
• Renovation of the Mother Newborn rooms.

This fund raising tradition continues through the talents of over 100 energetic volunteers every year. SAINTS owes its success to the tireless work of these volunteers.

Their Life’s Calling...

The many Sisters who made St Vincent Healthcare a part of their life’s calling, caring for the poor and the sick, working to improve the community, and always…always…looking to the future, following God to where he led them to continue their work. To the sisters now present and the living spirit of ones who came before, we are grateful.

The list includes a few examples of the work and achievements of the Sisters who were a part of our history.

1897 - Sister Mary Anacleta, Superior of Saint Vincent Academy in Helena, was put in charge of the "St Vincent Project," building a hospital in Billings, Montana.

1898 - Sisters Bernadette, Theodora, Antoinette, Rose Vincent Barnhill, and Mary Anacleta Flynn are credited as being the “first sisters” in Billings.

1915 - Sister Arcadia Lee began her long tenure at St Vincent Healthcare; working alongside Dr. Louis Allard during the polio epidemic, became Superintendent of Nurses, and in 1918, worked diligently to build a new hospital, now the Allard Building.

1933 - Author Ernest Hemingway is a patient at St. Vincent Healthcare and is cared for by Sister Florence Coonan, an avid baseball fan and the inspiration for Hemingway’s short story, "The Gambler, The Nun, and The Radio."

1948 - Sister Cornelia Donnelly was named Hospital Superior. Known for innovation, she hired the first lay administrative assistant, Robert Layng.

1967 - Sister Alive Marie Schweider, hospital administrator, is named a fellow in the American College of Hospital Administrators, the only Montanan to be so honored.

1971 - Sister Dorothy Hanley brought the Foster Grandparents program and CareLine to Senior Services.

1972 - Sister Jean Lind was instrumental in the development of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, caring for our tiniest patients.

1997 - Sister Daniel Stefani worked with Yellowstone City County Health in implementing Healthcare for the Homeless, providing dental and healthcare.

Ralph Nelles

Billings Businessman, Civic Leader and Philanthropist, Ralph Nelles, has an incredible history of compassion and generosity to our community, his church, and most specifically, St. Vincent Healthcare.

Mr. Nelles’ commitment to nursing dates back to the late 80s, when he started the Nelles Traveling Nurse Fund in memory of Flora Nelles. The fund provides resources to underwrite travel expenses for St. Vincent Healthcare nurses to attend educational conferences. Over the years, he has helped send hundreds of nurses to training, touching not only their lives, but the lives of countless patients who receive their compassionate and skilled care. In July of 2002, Mr. Nelles endowed that fund.

Shortly thereafter, out of concern for a nursing shortage nationwide and here in our community, Mr. Nelles made a 5-year commitment to establish the Nelles Nurse Scholarship Program. Each year, the Nelles Family made an investment in academic scholarships for student nurses, helping to ensure a new generation of nurses would be available in our region. The program, which has been recognized by the American Hospital Association as a best practice model for recruiting and educating an outstanding nursing staff, has provided financial awards to more than 50 nursing students in college and advanced degree nursing studies. The Nelles Nurse Scholarship Program has dropped nursing vacancies at St. Vincent Healthcare to less than 5 percent.

Mr. Nelles’ commitment to attracting the best of the best into nursing, along with his great vision and desire to leave a family legacy, encouraged both he and his family to endow the Nelles Nurse Scholarships Program in 2006, with an investment of $1.5 million dollars. Mr. Nelles’ generous gift to ensure continued generations of great nurses in perpetuity is an incredibly generous and thoughtful way to make a difference in our region.

These gifts, along with the many gifts made quietly and humbly throughout this community make Mr. Nelles the kind of leader we are proud to know and partner with. Mr. Nelles has been in business in Billings for more than half a century. He owned and operated Intermountain Distributing, which is still in the family. He shares his credit with wife Audrey, and daughters Marilyn Brocopp and LaVonne Fink.

Joel T. Long

In December of 2004, Joel T. Long and his family made a significant commitment to St. Vincent Healthcare, establishing the Joel T. Long Women's & Children's Pavilion. Deeply touched by the healing environment of the recently completed Newborn Intensive Care Unit on the fourth floor, the Longs wished to complete the wing, combining Mother/Newborn Care, Pediatrics and NICU with new Women's Medical/Surgical Services areas.

A successful businessman and active philanthropist, Long created JTL Group in 1990. This large aggregate mining, asphalt, ready-mix concrete production and sales, road construction, paving and general contracting company operated in Montana and Wyoming. In 1999, Long oversaw the acquisition of the JTL Group by MDU Resources, assuring that his employees and management teams would continue to run the company.

Long's ability to envision the future has transformed Billings and Montana. He was a key to the expansion and development of the Billings Central Business District and downtown Billings, including the development of Transwestern Plaza and First Interstate Bank Building, Billings' Marketplace and Riverfront Park, a conservation center and the Amend Park Soccer Fields. He also donated a gravel mine in Missoula that became a pond, trail and Bitterroot River access.

St. Vincent Healthcare has enjoyed the privilege of being one of the many non-profits benefiting from the generosity of Joel and his family. We, at St. Vincent Healthcare are most appreciative of the Long family's efforts to transform Billings and the region through philanthropy.

Saint Vincent Healthcare Volunteers SAINTS 2004 Honorees

We recognize this remarkable group of volunteers for the difference they make at St. Vincent Healthcare. They play an important role in the healing ministry as part of the healthcare team since they provide an extra dimension of care and service through their donation of time and talents. We are grateful for their enthusiasm. “Truly a work of love,” described one volunteer.

In the summer of 1957, 24 ladies organized to offer their services to patients in the hospital - writing letters, rocking babies, and giving comfort. Since then, their role has expanded and we currently have nearly 300 active volunteers, both men and women, who gave 43,473 hours of service last year. In addition, this summer, 176 student volunteers gave over 6,500 hours of service. Today, besides the services they provide, the volunteers run two successful businesses with the Cheri Nook Snack Bar and the Gift Corner and Loose Ends gift shops.

During the past 47 years, the Volunteers have donated over $1 million dollars to the hospital. Their largest gift was in 1976 when the Volunteers raised $117,000 in three years for a hospital building campaign. Besides their time, they have also contributed money for student scholarships, furnishings for the waiting rooms and Shirley’s Place, and numerous other hospital projects.

Marcel A. "Dutch" Callant

Generous donor benefits children in Harlowton, MT

Dutch Callant has lived in Harlowton most of his 84 years where he and his late wife Eleanor raised their two children, Larry and Mary. As owner of Harlowton’s most successful grocery business, the AG Supermarket, Dutch recognized the need to support his community through his volunteer and civic activities. Through the years, Dutch has served in many local public offices and supported numerous civic activities. He continues to be one of Harlowton’s respected citizens where the words honesty, caring and modest are used to describe him. True to Dutch’s nature, his commitment to his family and community is unsurpassed. Through his generous planned gift to the Leave No Child Behind Healthcare Endowment Fund, he also ensured quality healthcare services will be available for the children of the Harlowton community for many years to come.

The Callant Family Endowment for Rural Healthcare was created in memory of Dutch’s parents, Gustaaf and Emma Callant. Income from the endowment will be used to enhance existing budgets to support health service needs including but not limited to educational opportunities, equipment, staffing and other identified needs of rural health organizations. The Callant gift is the largest endowment gift given to St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation. The income from this endowment will support the healing ministry of St. Vincent Healthcare for many years to come.

Stewards like Dutch set a standard for which we can all aspire! Good for you! Good for the Community!

Michele Amen

Michele Amen has a soft spot in her heart for healthcare. During the last years of her husband Jack’s life, his ill health created a deep appreciation for the medical advances that helped him maintain a high quality of life in Billings. “My family and I wanted quality development of the land that had been in our family since the ’40s. Our commitment to healthcare made it an easy decision to work with St.Vincent Healthcare Foundation in developing the sale of the land and the charitable gift that made it happen.” After many years of helping her husband farm and working at the public auction yards, spending time with her twin grandsons and other grandchildren is Michele’s most rewarding activity.

Ralph Nelles

The Ralph Nelles family recently gave a major gift to St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation in response to the nationwide nursing shortage. Ralph, his wife Audrey, and his daughters LaVonne Fink and Marilyn Brocopp made a 5-year commitment of $325,000 to establish The Nelles Nurse Scholarship Program. This scholarship will create a stronger healthcare community by investing in a new generation of nurses and will pay dividends in our region for generations to come.

When it comes to philanthropy and investing in healing ministry, Mary Alice Fortin is a SAINT.  Mary Alice Fortin will be honored this year at the annual SAINTS benefit for helping establish the first SAINTS twenty-three years ago and for unparalleled giving to the Billings community.

Mrs. Fortin has inspired many with her philanthropy at St. Vincent Healthcare providing substantial support to establish the Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery, the patient tower known as the Fortin Tower, the chapel, the Fortin Lobby and New Hope Rehabilitation.  Projects large and small, Mary Alice Fortin remembers the children in the hospital at Christmas and supports the annual Fortin Memorial Golf Tournament which provides for advancements in rehabilitation services at St. Vincent.

All of Mrs. Fortin's gifts have been given with the highest spirit of good will and philanthropy. Mrs. Fortin has made Billings a better place through her generous gifts.