Sweet Medical Center and Chinook Dental are hosting a Patient Appreciation event in conjunction with the Chinook Area Chamber's quarterly Business After Hours. This is the third year the two medical providers have teamed up to welcome the community to meet the staff of the two businesses and learn about the services available.

Nora Conner, Outreach Coordinator with the Sweet Medical Center (SMC), said she is looking forward to a large crowd. The Patient Appreciation/Business After Hours event is an opportunity for locals to visit with medical staff in a relaxed atmosphere. For those interested, there will be opportunities to tour the clinic and learn about some of the new programs available.

This photo shows the lineup for tacos at the Business After Hours held two summers ago in the Sweet Medical Center parking lot. This year traveling tacos will be prepared by Val Frank and the Stonebroke String Band will provide music. Set for the evening of July 12, the Patient Appreciation/Business After Hours event is an opportunity for locals to visit with staff from the two medical providers and learn about services available at the two clinics.

Conner said the Sweet Medical Center would be sharing information about "many quality services including our new Integrated Behavior Health professional who recently joined SMC." The new mental health provider on site will facilitate integrating all phases of treatment for patients. Integrated health care is a concept now widely used in full service clinics around the country.

In addition to the medical and dental information, Conner said, "There'll be music by Stonebroke String Band, traveling tacos to eat, door prizes for adults and kids and time to visit with providers." The traveling tacos will be prepared by local caterer Val Frank. Jeanni Powell, the bass player in the Stonebroke String Band, is also the office manager for Chinook Dental.

Recalling last year's rainy event, SMC Outreach Coordinator Nora Conner added, "The food and entertainment will be awesome and we have a backup plan in case of an inconvenient rain storm. We hope to see everyone here enjoying themselves!"

The Patient Appreciation/Business After Hours event will be held at the clinic location at 419 Pennsylvania in Chinook (SMC also has a location at the Harlem Senior Center at 116 Main Street in Harlem). The date for the after-hours event is Thursday, July 12. The event runs from 6 pm-8 pm. Everyone is welcome and there is no charge.