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The True Citizen, Wednesday, April 28, 2021 — Page 5
Diana Royal
LIFE'S A DANCE
Hospital
Continued from front
A panel of eleven responded to questions about the proposal to lease Burke Medical Center,
Monday, during a public hearing at the 6th Street Auditorium.
My taste in music has
changed over the years. For
a long time country was my
favorite. I went line dancing
every weekend, was part of
a group of dancers who per
formed at the mall and events
around town and made it to
most country concerts, even
camping out for tickets on
occasion. As I grew older, my
views began to change. Coun
try music began turning pop;
lyrics became unbearable to
listen to.
Now, my music tastes have
done a complete 180.1 concen
trate on the lyrics and the way
the beat makes my body and
mind feel. Today’s new coun
try artists have yet to impress
me. I’ve found myself listen
ing to Eminem, Matchbox 20,
David Gray and other groups
whose lyrics I see as meaning
ful and poetic.
The other day, I thought I
would flip to a country station
just to see what was playing
and if it might be something
good. I was surprised to hear
an older song, one that I had
never been a big fan of: John
Michael Montgomery’s “Life’s
a Dance.” My first instinct was
to change the station, sure I’d
never find much meaning in
country music again. But I
didn’t; I listened as though
I were just hearing the song
for the first time. It actually
reminded me of a valuable
lesson.
The overall message is
summed up by the chorus:
Life’s a dance/You learn as
you go/ Sometimes you lead/
Sometimes you follow/Don’t
worry ’bout what you don’t
know/’Cause life’s a dance/
You learn as you go.
I realized how incredibly
true this statement is and how
the “dance” of life is incorpo
rated into all types of music,
making it not a unique discov
ery but rather a lesson learned
and taught time after time.
Then I began thinking of my
own dance and how my dance
partners have influenced me
and shaped me into the person
I am today.
From the moment we are
born, we begin our separate
journeys, or rather dances, and
have no idea what lies ahead.
Those who have danced before
us lead us, showing us a few
steps along the way but are
careful to let us try new steps
and maybe even make up a few
of our own.
Sometimes, instead of lead
ing, our partners carry us on
their own feet, allowing us
to rest on their compassion
and guidance. Other times,
they make us dance alone,
observing that we sometimes
have two left feet, sometimes
dance too fast or not enough,
but loving us the whole time.
Dancing alone, we learn the
importance of judgment and
decisionmaking. We might
look silly but have gained the
courage to at least try. Then
comes a time when we lead our
own partners, our first partners
and show them that no one
knows every dance, no matter
how old they are.
We’ve two stepped around
the truth, had our hearts
clogged across and clogged
upon the hearts of others,
tangoed with our friends and
waltzed gracefully in the sad
dest of times. We have danced
with people whom we dislike
and watched those we love
dance with others.
In the end, all we can do is
continue dancing, welcoming
each new partner and smiling
when old partners cha cha
back.
Some dances change very
little over the years while
others never have the same
steps. What’s most important,
however, is not the dance, but
rather the willingness to dance.
I learned a new dance when
I opened up my mind to some
thing I thought had little value.
Now, my dancing shoes have a
little more wear on their soles.
Get out your shoes, dance
on your toes or MC Hammer
around ... You’ll learn as you
go-
Kleinpeter answered questions
regarding changes that will
take place if Burke Hospital
Company’s lease is approved
by the Attorney General’s
Office.
“What we envision is engag
ing doctors to actually do more
procedures, engage the primary
care doctors to participate more
in the hospital in terms of pro
cedures and labs and to bring
specialists to the hospital that
are not currently here,” George
said and mentioned that outpa
tient cardiology and orthopedic
services will be expanded.
The team intends to add
interventional pain manage
ment services as well. A larger
outpatient building is planned
long-term for expanded occu
pational, physical and speech
therapy services.
Kleinpeter explained how
they expect to handle current
financial losses.
“From a strategic standpoint,
we would like to think that we
could go in and cut some costs,
get on a different group pur
chasing organization, maybe
look at things differently,” he
said. “But my biggest strategy
is to try and increase revenue.”
If approved, the Authority
agreed to lease the hospital and
its assets for a period of 7 years
with automatic 5-year renewals
until the expiration of 40 years.
As revenue-generating ser
vices increase, Burke Hospital
Company envisions the num
ber of employees doubling
over the next 3-5 years.
The County will provide a
3-year subsidy, $6 million the
first and second years and $5
million in the third year.
“If we become accumula
tively profitable within the first
three years then the subsidy
ceases at that time,” Klein
peter said. “Burke Hospital
Company will put in $2 million
effective the date of the lease.”
Approximately 25 members
of the public attended the
hearing.
Retired nurse Glinda Ad
ams addressed Kleinpeter and
George. She asked what will
happen if Burke Hospital Com
pany doesn’t make a profit. She
accused them of abandoning
Screven County and Jenkins
County hospitals. She insinu
ated they might leave once the
county subsidies run out.
“In terms of our commit
ment, we are putting in our
own money into this deal and
in an ideal world, we would
like to be here for 40 years,”
Kleinpeter said.
The Attorney General’s of
fice will prepare a report within
30 days with its decision. It
will be available on the website
www.law.georgia.gov.
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County Business Directory,
County Business Directory,
contact Roy Chalker
contact Roy Chalker
at 706-554-2111.
at 706-554-2111.
ADVERTISE HERE!
To be included in the Burke
County Business Directory,
contact Roy Chalker
at 706-554-2111.