[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12942]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THUNDER BAY COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DAN BENISHEK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 31, 2012

  Mr. BENISHEK. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the citizens of the First 
District of Michigan, I wish to commend the Thunder Bay Community 
Health Service (TBCHS) for 30 years of dedicated service to 
comprehensive and preventative health care.
   Over the past three decades, TBCHS has been committed to the vital 
work of bringing high quality, cost effective, and accessible health 
care to Northern Michigan. Working out of five centers in the 
Northeastern Lower Peninsula, TBCHS ensures that residents of Northern 
Michigan receive first rate medical care. It is fitting that TBCHS 
celebrates this important milestone during National Health Center Week. 
Community health centers, like TBCHS, are at the core of our health 
care system.
   Since seeing their first patient in 1982, the dedicated providers 
and administrators of TBCHS have continually adapted their care to meet 
the changing needs of Northern Michigan families. By providing 
preventive services and comprehensive primary health care, TBCHS keeps 
our families healthy while also preventing costlier health care 
alternatives such as emergency room treatment.
   The doctors, nurses, and other providers of TBCHS cannot do this 
alone, but are supported by dedicated staff and board members. The 
TBCHS team has been a trusted community partner, from providing nursing 
services in local schools to conducting senior companion programs.
   As a doctor who has treated patients for nearly 30 years and as a 
life-long resident of Northern Michigan, I greatly appreciate the 
commitment of TBCHS to empower healthier communities by making quality 
health care more affordable for Northern Michigan families.
   On behalf of the over 13,000 patients who receive its care each 
year, I wish to thank Thunder Bay Community Health Service for 30 years 
of commitment and care. I know these successes will continue for the 
next 30 years and beyond.

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