Memorial honoring female veterans of Idaho unveiled at new health clinic - East Idaho News
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Memorial honoring female veterans of Idaho unveiled at new health clinic

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Video and photos by Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS — Comprehensive Care Clinics in Idaho Falls is officially open, and it’s honoring female veterans.

State and city leaders and members of the community gathered at 3302 Valencia Drive in Idaho Falls on Monday night for the ribbon cutting and open house.

Dr. Fahim Rahim says the clinic is to be a one-stop-shop that provides quality medical care at a lower cost.

“We will have a team of specialists — heart doctors, kidney doctors, along with orthopedic, spinal and pain surgeons (and others) all under one roof,” Rahim previously told EastIdahoNews.com. “You can see your family doctor in one corner. If you also need to see an orthopedic surgeon, you can just walk upstairs and get an x-ray on your knee. If the orthopedic surgeon decides you need surgery or some other procedure, you can get it done right here. You can get the labs done here and even visit a pharmacy.”

RELATED | New clinic offering ‘one-stop-shop’ healthcare opens this month in Idaho Falls

comprehensive care clinics

But the event wasn’t just about medical convenience for patients — a memorial honoring female veterans was unveiled on the north side of the building.

It was inspired by Carrie French of Caldwell, who died at the age of 19 in the Iraq war.

“Two years ago, I made a promise to (Paula Hylinski, Carrie’s mother) that we’d (honor) all female veterans of Idaho with a memorial. What you see here is the (culmination) of two years worth of work,” Rahim said.

The memorial was also partly inspired by Rahim’s mother, who is a veteran as well. He says having a place to honor all women who make sacrifices for freedom was important to him.

Kristol Coker, the creator of the memorial sculpture, said the focus of the memorial was not only to honor veterans but also to have veterans honor themselves.

“We do a good job of honoring our vets and thanking them for their service, but what really spoke to me was having vets honor themselves,” Coker said. “We know they honor those they work with, but to have them honor themselves and all they have accomplished was the focus of (this project) for me.”

The memorial was created to serve as a constant reminder about the price of freedom and be an inspiration for furthering that cause, Rahim says.

“This (memorial) is a simple way to add value to our community,” Rahim tells EastIdahoNews.com. “Every time we walk in this building, we can look at this sculpture to remind us (that the things we’re able to do today are possible because) there was someone’s hard work and sacrifice behind it.”

Also honored were several nonprofits selected by Rahim’s JRM Foundation, which included Building Hope Today, the Mayoral Scholarship Fund and PTSD Veteran Athletes, which received grants. Among those in attendance were Blane Uthman, the clinic’s CEO and administrator, Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper, Lt. Gov.-Elect Janice McGeachin and representatives from Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo’s office.

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