Crossroads hires clinic director

MOSES LAKE— Marilyn Hallberg has been a nurse for about 50 years and does not plan on retiring anytime soon.

“I love everything about it,” Hallberg said, smiling. “It’s very satisfying to help people and be around people.”

Hallberg joined the team at Crossroads Resource Center as the clinic director last week. The hiring of Hallberg is the first step taken by executive director Wendi Schield in making the clinic more medical.

“Marilyn comes with a lot of experience in nursing and community health,” Schield said. “She has great management skills and a wonderful way with people.”

Hallberg grew up in Everett and graduated with a nursing degree from Eugene Bible College in Oregon. She traveled to Africa with her husband to work as a nurse in the mission field and stayed there for three years. Hallberg moved to Moses Lake when she returned from Africa in 1965 to be closer to her sister who is a resident. She has worked as a chief operating officer and clinic operator at Moses Lake Community Health Center for 28 years.

“This was a very satisfying time in my life,” Hallberg said. “I watched the clinic grow from small to large and had the opportunity to work with some amazing people.”

Hallberg moved on to work at Quincy Valley Hospital for four years, before her retirement in April.

It didn’t take much prodding to make Hallberg come to crossroads, she noted.

“There’s a need for me and a chance for me to make a difference in people’s lives,” Hallberg said. “I’m excited to be a part of everything going on here.”

The job as clinic director consists of teaching parenting classes, being in charge of clinic volunteers and setting up the clinic to make it a medical resource.

“Going medical is a big process because there are many bits and pieces that have to be in place,” Schield said. “Marilyn is the key part in helping us accomplish everything.”

Some requirements for going medical include attaining malpractice insurance, putting policies and procedures in place and training staff.

Crossroads held a walk for life fund-raiser on June 6 to raise money for a new ultrasound. Volunteers helped raise  $11,000 worth of pledges and donations.

“It was a great first event,” Schield said. “And we still have more money coming in.”

The expense of an ultrasound is $30,000, not including the other expenditures such as nurse practitioners to operate the equipment.

“We are going to start advertising to for another nurse soon,” Schield said. “I also want to do another fund-raiser before the end of the year.”

Hallberg is excited to be a part of all the changes, she said.

“I am most looking forward to having the ultrasound up and running,” Hallberg said.