Terlep named as new BCHWC director
PRINCETON — The Bureau County Health and Wellness Clinic has a new director. The BCHWC Board of Directors has accepted with regret the resignation of Executive Director Heather Tinker, RN, and has named Kate Terlep as her replacement.
Tinker served as the clinic’s executive director and nurse since its inception in 2002. Tinker, who plans to continue her education, was honored at a Sept. 15 dinner by staff, volunteers and board members.
BCHWC Board treasurer Paulette Bird said Tinker was the person responsible for the creation of a free clinic in Bureau County.
“Heather saw the need and had the perseverance to get the clinic going, and, over the years, she had the passion and faith to keep it going,” Bird said.
Tim Harris, chairman of the BCHWC search committee, said the board is pleased to have Terlep as the new director.
“The board is thrilled to have Kate join the clinic,” Harris said. “Kate's enthusiasm and commitment to the mission of the Health and Wellness Clinic is just what the board was looking for.”
Originally from Michigan, Terlep was employed by Harris Private Bank and The Harris in Chicago before moving in July 2006 to Princeton with her husband, Alan, and daughter, Elizabeth. Her husband is pastor of the First Christian Church in Princeton, and Terlep is also licensed as a Minister of Care by the First Christian Church, Princeton, and the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ.
Terlep said she is pleased to bring her skills and expertise to her new position. The clinic is a unique and special organization, she said. Her job is to help the clinic grow to serve more people in more ways, without losing sight of why the clinic first opened, she said.
“My experience is in the business world. I worked in marketing, sales management and finance,” Terlep said. “I'm used to high-pressure situations, and I know how to look at a complicated system and find ways to make it better and more efficient.”
Terlep said the BCHWC provides an invaluable service to Bureau County.
“There are so many people who live not just paycheck to paycheck — but on the edge of financial ruin — people who are working hard just to make it possible to get up the next morning and do it all over again,” Terlep said. “These people were slipping through the cracks. Now, thanks to Heather's vision, businesses, churches and individual volunteers are coming together to care for people, body and soul.”
The BCHWC, located at 500 Elm Place, relies on a team of volunteers, including physicians, health care professionals, and support staff. The clinic is not funded by the state or federal government, but through grants and donations from individuals, businesses, and the faith community. Clinic records show several thousand patients have received care through the clinic.
For more information on the BCHWC, call (815) 879-8794.
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