The Director of the Beatrice Community Hospital Foundation will be leaving the position by the end of the year. Gina Heckey who has served as the Foundation director since 2019 is moving to Richmond, Virginia.

Heckey talked about her future plans on KWBE's "To Your Health" program on Wednesday morning...

"In August my significant other Andrew which some people are familiar with him as he worked for the Chamber for a couple of years....he took a position with the city of Richmond, Virginia. So he moved to Richmond, Virginia and took my two dogs with him in August with the understanding that I have a lot of things going on work wise and personal wise, so I wanted to make sure I could dedicate enough time to wrap somethings up and support the organizations including the hospital foundation which is the reason I have been here since 2019. The idea is that by the end of this year I would transition to Richmond, Virginia with him”.

Heckey says a search is underway to hire her replacement.

“The last couple of months have been working with my board and the senior team at the hospital to try and identify what we are looking for in my replacement and what we want to tackle and taking all of these projects and making sure they continue on this right path. I don’t necessarily think we have any projects that have to change. I think most of them are on a real good projectory. We just need to find someone who can take it on and have even more energy than me”.

Heckey was instrumental in organizing the Big Give Gage event that raises money each year for numerous non-profit organizations in Gage County. Heckey says successful fund raising efforts like the Big Give Gage and the success of community organizations happen because of the people involved.

“The one thing I have been telling everyone, and my board included and all the boards that I serve on in a voluntary capacity like the Gage County Foundation and the Humane Society is that these organizations have to be bigger than one person. The Big Give is an example…...I have become the spokesperson for the Big Give but it has to be something much bigger than that because it is supporting 60 non-profits in our community…all of these have to be bigger than one person.”

Heckey is originally from Colorado and has lived in Missouri, Montana and Nebraska.

As the year comes to a close, Heckey will be working closely with the Foundation Board as they prepare for one of their biggest fundraisers of the year…”Catch The Glow” on December 9th.