Lukes 100 Organization Gives Through Generations

For 54 years local organization Lukes 100 has been providing monetary assistance to Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital (FMDH), Valley View Home and the Valley View Home Foundation as a result of community commitment of the organization’s members. Lukes 100 is a charitable organization whose members pledge to pay $100 per year to assist, promote and support the medical facilities in Valley County.

The current board hopes to keep the tradition alive for many more years to come. President Karla Zerbe, vice president Lynette Nelson-Hagen, secretary/treasurer Chris Helland and directors Simon Helland and Evy Kravik are currently serving on the executive board with Jean Carlson being voted onto the board at the annual meeting on Feb. 14. During this meeting, Zerbe will step down into the vice-president role while S. Helland will step up into the president role.

S. Helland is the third generation to serve, as his grandfather Frank Helland was a co-founder and served as the secretary/treasurer for over 30 years, while his father C. Helland has been serving as secretary/treasurer for 23 years. “Chris did it all before I took over,” laughed Zerbe.

The Hellands aren’t the only generation to carry the torch and be a part of this organization over the years. There are a total of seven families who have three generations of members, including the Markle, Pehlke, Swanson, Fuhrman, Zerbe and Kravik families. There are also three lifetime members in the organization: Kae Markle, Don Pehlke and Donna Court.

Even though there are many generations as members, the executive board stresses anyone in the community can become a member. As incoming president, S. Helland hopes to bring the membership numbers up in order to continue to help Valley View and FMDH financially. “When the club was first named, $100 went a long way,” he stated, while explaining nowadays it takes lot more funds to accomplish any goals these facilities would have. The organization also encourages members to increase their dues if they so choose. In 2021, there were 60 memberships at $100, one at $125, four at $150, 47 at $200, one at $300 and three at $500, with 116 members.

The organization started in 1969 with an organizational meeting in the back room of Johnnie Cafe. Those present were O.E. Markle, Bill Pattison, F. Helland and Buell Hayward. In 1970, the first year of operation, Markle conducted an organizational meeting of Lukes 100 attended by 89 people from around the county. It was decided to have a membership drive with the goal of reaching 100 members by the following year. The purpose of the organization at that time was to assist Valley View Home and Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital in various ways. Lukes 100 was the name chosen for the charitable organization whose members were pledged to give $100 per year for the benefit of the home and the hospital. The name was voted on at the meeting in 1970, originally suggested by Mrs. Otto Zerbe, as Luke was the disciple in the Bible with a medical background. The first donation amount was $8,700 split between Valley View Home and the hospital, while the last 50 years, the organization has donated over $600,000 to the three entities. This year’s gift will be $19,800 from 117 paid members, $11,300 given to Valley View Home, $1,000 to the Valley View Home Foundation and $7,500 to FMDH. “Valley View Home and the hospital are very important to our community,” expressed Nelson-Hagen.

In a letter to members in 1973, Pattison wrote how unbelievable it was how much they had accomplished in three short years. He said, “this proves how effective a group can be when they are organized to accomplish a goal. As individuals, our small donations are seemingly lost in the shuffle and eaten up in overhead and administrative costs. In contrast, our Lukes 100 contributions go 100 percent to Valley View Home and FMDH. Each of us feels this responsibility of caring for our sick and elderly and doing it here at home in Valley County is the best way to do it.”

This responsibility has carried throughout the years, with both Valley View Home and FMDH growing as facilities. “We all need medical care and many of us, or one of our family members may live in a nursing home at some point in our lives. Having our loved ones close by in one of these facilities is a good thing,” stated K. Zerbe.

The organization will have their annual dinner and membership meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m., Valley View Home, where administrator of FMDH Nick Dirkes and administrator of Valley View Home Wes Thompson will be giving their annual reports. There will also be a short business meeting along with entertainment.

The annual meeting is always held the second Tuesday of February at Valley View Home. This is the 53rd year of the dinner, as the COVID pandemic required a year off. “Valley View Home always does a phenomenal job,” stated K. Zerbe.

Anyone interested in becoming a member can contact any of the board members. Current Lukes 100 members are encouraged to bring a friend to the annual dinner.