Dr. Foellner's Hike Continues to Pay It Forward

When Dr. Foellner Richard decided to take on the Hyner Challenge; he already had the mental strength and optimism necessary to finish the race. When he finished the race on April 26^th, he proved that he also had the physical strength and endurance.

For Foellner, completing the race was not a selfish endeavor. He saw it as an opportunity to inspire and support others—which is why he decided to create a challenge for the local community, including fellow Gibson Area Hospital employees, to guess the time it would take for him to reach the finish line. Participants were invited to make a donation to the Gibson Area Hospital Foundation Scholarship Fund along with their predictions.

After successfully completing the race, not only did half of the proceeds go to the person with the closest time prediction, but Dr. Foellner matched the winning amount and presented it to GAH Foundation Director Kathy Hess. With the completion of his hike Dr. Foellner raised $600 for the GAH Foundation Scholarship Fund.

Not only will the Foundation benefit, but Tracy Maynard, whose prediction was closest to Dr. Foellner’s finish time of 9 hours and 45 minutes, is continuing to pay it forward to help others. Tracey, the Coordinator of the Paxton Community & Wellness Center, was aware of a fellow employee with family medical expenses, and has decided to donate the money to Denise McMahan to offset the medical costs accrued.

When Dr. Foellner crossed the finish line, he did more than turn his mantra of “I think I can” into “I knew I could”. He gave another boost to a student’s future education in healthcare and gave Tracy Maynard the resources to assist a friend in need.