Strengthening community has become a way of life for lifelong farmers and beloved Ritzville residents Willard and Patricia Hennings. In 2015, the couple established an endowed fund through Innovia that annually awards grants for local park improvements, downtown Christmas decorations, and any other updates that enhance the beauty of a city brimming with history. Additionally, in 2018, the family donated $1 million for the creation of the Tamara A. Hennings Cancer Research Lab at the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, leaving a lasting legacy for their late daughter Tamara.
This year, the couple established the Willard & Patricia Hennings Medical Residency Fund, so that more young physicians can put down roots in the rural communities the Hennings have come to know and deeply love. The new fund will expand the range of medical education programs open to medical graduates who aspire to care for the health and wellbeing of rural communities in astern Washington.
Funds will support the staffing of preceptors and other healthcare professionals who make these programs an enriching experience for medical graduates. Thanks to the Hennings’ generosity and long-range vision, Eastern Washington communities will have access to an even brighter, healthier and more beautiful future.
