Published: October 05, 2008 08:17 am      

Going under for another 25 years

By preparing to continue a legacy with the planting of another special time capsule, the Northwest Center for Behavioral Health (NCBH) will ensure that its history will be preserved for at least another 25 years.

Since the center dug up a 50-year time capsule on May 20 of this year during its centennial celebration, NCBH Executive Director Trudy Hoffman said everyone has been asking if and when another one would be buried.

After experiencing the excitement of opening the first time capsule in May, Hoffman said there has been no question for her that another capsule would be buried.

However, a project like this takes time, she said, noting that answering the question of when hasn’t been easy. But she now has the answer, which is this Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in front of NCBH’s Acute Care Unit in Fort Supply, she said.

The new time capsule will contain several items from the original time capsule, Hoffman said, including a program from when the other time capsule was buried in 1958 and a letter from the 1958 committee concerning the opening of that time capsule.

Counterparts of these items will also be included in the new time capsule, she said, noting that she will include a program from when the first time capsule was unearthed in May as well as a personal letter from her to whoever opens the new capsule 25 years from now.

There will also be a number of documents making comparisons between what the center was like in 1958 and what it was like in 2008, such as differences in budgets, medicines used, number of patients, number of staff, and so on, Hoffman said.

“I think history is so important,” she said. “I think, we find we lose history sometimes.

“That is my fear; I don’t want that history to be lost,” Hoffman said.

Which is why she has not only encouraged the planting of a new time capsule this year, but also why through her letter she is encouraging whoever opens this time capsule in 2033 to continue the legacy again with a time capsule of their own.

Following the time capsule burying ceremony, a special dinner will be held at 5:30 p.m. to recognize 87 of NCBH’s 242 employees who have achieved either 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 or 35 years of service, Hoffman said. Five employees have achieved either 30 or 35 years; they are Debra Anderson (30), Sharon Hunter (30), Richard White (30), Cheryl Diane Oliver (35) and Linda Diane Soliday (35).

Altogether the 87 employees being honored have amassed a total of 1,190 years of service, she said.

Hoffman said she wanted to hold the two ceremonies together because the burial of the original time capsule in 1958 was held in conjunction with employee recognition activities. In addition, she noted that by holding the two ceremonies on the same day, it makes it easier for more employees from the center’s 14-county service area to attend both events.

“It’s a great opportunity to recognize employees for their years of service,” Hoffman said, noting that it is also a great opportunity to look toward future years of service.