CONRAD — In many rural Iowa communities good news can sometimes be a scarce commodity due to depressed commodity prices and the impacts of tariff policies on the farm economy. Regardless, the small town of Conrad (pop. 1,100) had much to celebrate Thursday afternoon.

Dozens of attendees were present for a ribbon-cutting and open house to mark the completion of a new family practice clinic on the town’s east side.

A UPH press release earlier this week said the new clinic is approximately 5,500 square feet and will be more efficient than an older clinic several blocks away. The new clinic offers enhanced patient safety and comfort, along with a lab and x-ray equipment.

“We could not have asked for a more beautiful day – thank goodness it is gorgeous … it is good to be in Conrad,” said Shari King – UnityPoint Health-Marshalltown hospital administrator, during her opening remarks. “And it is absolutely our pleasure to be here to open the new Conrad clinic. We are extremely grateful for all of the generosity from this community to make this clinic possible … It is not easy to offer health care in small communities … but we are absolutely delighted to do that in Conrad. The first day to see patients here is Monday, Nov. 17.”

Tim Cooper, PA-C, cut the ribbon to hearty cheers and sustained applause. Cooper, who treats patients for clinic owner UnityPoint Health (UPH), said he was excited about the new clinic as were his colleagues and UPH administrators who looked on.

Shortly before the ribbon cutting, King told the Times-Republican the clinic “was completed on time and on budget … that does not always happen.”

The new facility was built by Edge Commercial of Grimes. It replaces a smaller facility in the 100 block of North Church Street, which has served the town and area for several decades.

“I want to thank our Conrad clinic staff and our facility planning team who brought this project to fruition,” said Carolyn Barko, market vice-president for clinic operations for UPH. “This is a beautiful facility.”

Barko immediately followed King in making remarks and invited attendees in for a tour. After her statement, Barko told the T-R that land for the facility had been donated a number of years ago by a local resident and that UPH had received numerous offers to sell it but declined.

The new clinic will consist of 11 team members, according to Shelley Boldt — regional director for clinic operations for UPH-Waterloo — including the same three providers it does now: Cooper, Steve Scurr, DO and Abbie Sharp, ARNP.

UPH has been conducting a $1 million dollar fundraising campaign to help offset project costs for the new clinic.

“Thanks to the incredible generosity of Conrad and surrounding communities, we’ve made tremendous progress and are now just more than halfway to our goal,” said Becky Dirks, the development director for the UPH-Marshalltown Foundation. “We need the public’s help to take this project across the finish line and ensure every member of our community has a place to turn for quality, compassionate primary care.”

To support the campaign, or for more information, contact Dirks at 319-239-7599 or Rebecca.Dirks@unitypoint.org. UPH has a network of 20 regional hospitals, 19 community network hospitals and more than 400 clinics and home care services at locations in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin, according to its website.

Conrad Clinic hours are 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. M-F only. Telephone 641-366-2123 or visit unitypoint.org.