St. Luke's Wood River Foundation

08/12/2025

We were honored to welcome Laurie Santos, Ph.D.—Yale professor, scientist, and host of The Happiness Lab podcast—as the keynote speaker for the 2025 St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation Health & Well-Being Speaker Series.💫

Dr. Santos, who teaches Yale’s most popular course in history, shared insights from The Science of Happiness: How to Live a Happier and More Fulfilling Life. Her talk left us inspired, informed, and ready to put the science into practice.

👉If you missed it or would like to revisit her wisdom, we’ve posted a recorded version of her talk on our website. Visit the events page at www.slwrf.org.

Thank you to everyone who attended or watched the live stream.🤩

LIVE LONG. LIVE WELL. BE INSPIRED.

08/05/2025

Tonight! 🌟�Join us for the St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation Health & Well-Being Speaker Series featuring Laurie Santos, Ph. D. renowned Yale professor and host of The Happiness Lab podcast.

Laurie Santos, Ph. D.�The Science of Happiness:�How To Live A Happier And More Fulfilling Life. Santos, will explore what new results in psychological science teach us about how to be happier, how to feel less stressed, how to flourish more, and how to put these scientific findings into practice by building the sorts of habits that will allow us to live a happier and more fulfilling life.

🗓️ Tonight | 5:30–6:30 PM�📍 Church of the Bigwood, Ketchum�💻 In-person or livestream options available.
👉 visit https://www.slwrf.org/laurie-santos-ph-d-how-to-live-a-happier-and-more-fulfilling-life/

07/30/2025

👉In-Person Event is SOLD OUT.
🎥Live Stream the Event HERE: www.slwrf.org/laurie-santos-ph-d-how-to-live-a-happier-and-more-fulfilling-life/

Tuesday, August 5, 5:30pm to 6:30pm

Laurie Santos, Ph. D. will explore what new results in psychological science teach us about how to be happier, how to feel less stressed, how to flourish more, and how to put these scientific findings into practice by building the sorts of habits that will allow us to live a happier and more fulfilling life. 😁💛

Live Long. Live Well. Be Inspired.

05/14/2025

Congratulations to all of the nurses honored this year and in the years before. We’re grateful for community generosity that makes this recognition possible.

Nurses Honored for Compassion and Excellence https://eyeonsunvalley.com/Story_Reader/12825/Nurses-Honored-for-Compassion-and-Excellence/5/

04/24/2025

💫St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation Announces Major Investment in Mental Health

👉Ketchum, ID – Last month, St. Luke’s Wood River (SLWR) Foundation committed an additional $4.43 million to the Blaine County Mental Well-Being Initiative, which it initially sponsored in 2023. This new four-year commitment will bolster urgently needed work to grow an integrated mental health ecosystem that improves the lives of all people in Blaine County.

“This significant investment reflects the St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation’s continued faith in these collaborative efforts, which have brought together nearly 50 local organizations and entities to help address mental well-being in our community,” says Megan Tanous, the SLWR Foundation’s chief development officer. “It’s a testament to our belief in the overwhelming importance of this work.”

The SLWR Foundation has long championed expanding mental health services in the Wood River Valley. Its generosity – and that of its many donors – was instrumental in building the outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic connected to the St. Luke’s Center for Community Health in 2013. That support continues today through the strategic direction of this critical initiative and with its most recent gift, which will fund work through 2028.

“In a small community like ours, mental health issues affect everyone,” says SLWR Foundation Board President Pete Smith. “It is overwhelmingly clear – from community health assessments, rising emergency department admissions, physician concerns, and community feedback – that addressing mental well-being is an urgent priority. We at the St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation feel a deep responsibility to sustain this work.” 💙🫶

READ MORE HERE https://www.slwrf.org/st-lukes-wood-river-foundation-announces-major-investment-in-mental-health/

02/10/2025

🌕❄️ Full Moon, Fresh Tracks, & Community Vibes! ❄️🌕

Join The Sage School and our amazing partners—BCRD, SVSEF, the Mental Well-Being Initiative, and Backwoods Mountain Sports—for a magical night under the full moon!

✨ What: Community Dinner, Ski, Fat Bike & Bonfire
📍 Where: The Sage School, Hailey, ID
🗓 When: Wednesday, Feb 12 | 5:30 - 9:30 PM
💰 Cost: FREE skiing, rental equipment, bonfire, & kids' activities!
🥣 Dinner: Warm up with soup, salad & bread for just $12/person

Come for the adventure, stay for the connection. Let’s make this first annual event one to remember!

👉 Event Details & RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/MWBI-Full-Moon

Tag your crew & see you there! 🌙💙

02/07/2025

Youth Mental Well-Being❣️
Join local leaders on Tuesday, February 11, from 4-6 PM at the Community Library for an important discussion on youth mental well-being in the Wood River Valley.

📢 Hear from professionals working directly with young people, explore recent data from local middle and high school students, and gain insights from teens and experts supporting our youth community.

Let’s come together to listen, learn, and take action for the well-being of our youth!
Register to Attend: https://bit.ly/4aP7OO4
👀Watch online: https://bit.ly/4hqFQLf

Forum Moderator:
✚Tyler Norris, Chair of Blaine County’s Mental Well-Being Initiative

Forum Panelists:
✚Sarah Seppa - Director of Community Engagement and Manager of the Center for Community Health, St. Luke’s Wood River
✚Megan Tanous - Chief Development Officer, St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation
✚Tod Gunter - Social Worker, Hailey Elementary School

🙏Special Thanks To: The Community Library

02/04/2025

💫Join us for this FREE community event TODAY, Feb 4th @ the Community Library in Ketchum! Healing: Our Path to Mental Well-Being | Tom lnsel, M.D. Presented in partnership with the St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation and the Blaine County’s Mental Well-Being Initiative.
This program will be live streamed and available to watch later.
👉HERE: https://vimeo.com/event/4813222

The last four decades have seen unprecedented progress in the science of mental illness, yet we have seen little progress in outcomes. At a population level, morbidity and mortality are increasing, not decreasing, for those with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe mood and anxiety disorders, and other mental health and substance misuse conditions. How to explain this gap between science and social impact?

Tom lnsel, M.D., a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, has been a national leader in mental health research, policy, and technology. From 2002-2015, Dr. Insel served as Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). More recently, he led the Mental Health Team at Verily (2015-2017) and since 2017 has co-founded four mental health start-ups (Mindstrong Health, Humanest Care, NeuraWell Therapeutics, Vanna Health).

01/22/2025

Please Join Us For Healing: Our Path to Mental Well-Being | Tom lnsel, M.D. Presented in partnership with the St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation and the Blaine County’s Mental Well-Being Initiative
📆February 4th, 2025 at 1 p.m. at the Community Library.
The last four decades have seen unprecedented progress in the science of mental illness, yet we have seen little progress in outcomes. At a population level, morbidity and mortality are increasing, not decreasing, for those with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe mood and anxiety disorders and other mental health and substance misuse conditions. How to explain this gap between science and social impact?

Tom lnsel, M.D., a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, has been a national leader in mental health research, policy, and technology. From 2002-2015, Dr. Insel served as Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). More recently, he led the Mental Health Team at Verily (2015-2017) and since 2017 has co-founded four mental health start-ups (Mindstrong Health, Humanest Care, NeuraWell Therapeutics, Vanna Health).

Read More about this important event:
www.slwrf.org/healing-our-path-to-mental-well-being/

01/21/2025

We Want to Hear from You, Blaine County!
Tell us how we can expand and improve mental health services across our valley.
The survey takes just 5 minutes. Join us to support the well-being of our entire community.
👉Take the Survey today: www.prcsurvey.com/begin/BlaineCounty2025
Together, we can make a difference—it takes a valley! 🫶🙌
Learn more about the Blaine County Mental Well-Being Initiative!
Visit: https://www.slwrf.org/blaine-countys-mental-well-being-initiative/

12/03/2024

Today is Giving Tuesday!!! Please consider giving today to the St. Luke's Wood River Foundation.
Your Generosity HEALS 💙🫶
The St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation has a singular commitment to achieving excellence in health care for the community of the greater Wood River region.

✨To inspire generosity that improves health and well-being in the community.
✨We envision a community where generosity ensures clinical excellence and empowers health for all.
Please GIVE TODAY https://www.slwrf.org/donate/

10/03/2024

🌟Mental Well-Being Initiative is building a healthier future for the Wood River Valley

KETCHUM, Idaho – Since its launch last year, Blaine County’s Mental Well-Being Initiative (MWBI) has envisioned a future of mental well-being in the Wood River Valley, shaped by the input and needs of our diverse community. Spearheaded by the St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation in response to a clear need for improved mental health resources, the Mental Well-Being Initiative brings together over 30 partners from across sectors—including local government, healthcare, nonprofits, education, business, and religious organizations—to build a mental well-being ecosystem through a shared vision and collaborative approach.

Megan Tanous, Chief Development Officer of St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation, explains: “We’re focused on building the infrastructure for ongoing collaboration that will prioritize our community’s mental health for years to come. Through monthly workgroups, partner organizations and community members are refining objectives and identifying tactics to achieve our shared vision. These gatherings help us align our efforts and ensure we’re moving forward together.”

Read the full press release here: https://www.slwrf.org/mental-well-being-initiative-is-building-a-healthier-future-for-the-wood-river-valley/