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(HOWARD, SD) – Pat Maroney, a leader, philanthropist, and historian for the Horizon Health Foundation, retired from his role as a member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors on January 2.
Maroney began his tenure on the Board in 2019. He served as chairman from July 2021 through 2023. His interest in becoming involved with the Foundation stemmed from his commitment to community building.
“When I lived in Howard, I did everything I could to make the town stable and healthcare is one of the building blocks of a strong community,” Maroney said. “That’s the same thing all over South Dakota in the small towns.”
He’d been involved in a variety of organizations and thought he could contribute his expertise to the Foundation Board. He believed in the mission of Horizon Health Care and knew firsthand the quality care patients receive.
“Horizon has a dedicated staff and wonderful employees,” Maroney said. “They’ll do their best for you if you come to their clinics.”
Maroney has spent his life giving back and impacting the lives of people in his community and across the state. When he learned more about the Foundation mission, he made the decision to establish the Maroney Family Endowment to keep the Maroney Family’s legacy alive and support healthcare in his hometown. The endowment supports the ongoing operational needs of the Howard Medical and Dental Clinics.
Care close to home is critical for a state as large as South Dakota. Horizon’s footprint spans 28,000 square miles including 31 clinics in 22 communities offering medical, dental, and behavioral health services.
During his time on the Board, he observed the Foundation’s growth since its 2016 inception.
“Horizon is giving people access to medical care and the Foundation is the critical part of Horizon, raising money to make it sustainable,” Maroney said.
Maroney lives in Sioux Falls now but was born and raised in Howard. His father owned and operated Maroney’s Bar for 23 years. Once Pat completed his education at Dakota State University in Madison, SD, he returned to Howard in 1967. He followed in his father’s footsteps as owner of Maroney’s for more than 40 years.
In addition to his service on the Foundation board he held a variety of leadership positions in the Howard area including 11 years as a Miner County Commissioner, former Vice President of Howard Industries, Board Chair of Miner County Community Revitalization (MCCR) and the Rural Learning Center, President of the Jaycees Club, Chairman for the First District Association of Local Governments (three terms), Chairman of the Democratic Party, and Treasurer of the Interlakes Community Action Board. He volunteered on numerous boards including the Miner County Development Corporation, 23 years on the St. Agatha’s Church Council, 38 years on the Howard Public Library board, and 11 years on the Dakota State University Foundation.
The Horizon Health Foundation was established in 2016 to ensure rural health care access to those in need and provide funding for Horizon Health Care. Horizon Health Foundation, a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation, seeks through responsible activities to encourage and derive sustaining gift support from current and former patients and interested friends, including corporate entities. The Horizon Health Foundation, operating in coordination with Horizon Health Care, is the duly designated fundraising arm for Horizon Health Care. In the broadest sense, the purpose of the Foundation is to create an awareness of the financial needs of Horizon Health Care, which are not provided by patient charges and to systematically implement plans by which dollar needs can be met. For information about supporting our mission go to https://horizonhealthfoundation.com/
About Horizon Health Care
For over 40 years, Horizon Health Care has been providing personalized, affordable, high-quality medical, dental and behavioral health care through a rural, community-based network in South Dakota. Horizon is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that serves the medical, dental and mental health care needs of South Dakotans in rural, medically underserved areas through 110,000 patient visits annually in 31 community health centers in: Aberdeen, Alcester, Bison, Bryant, De Smet, Eagle Butte, Elk Point, Faith, Fort Thompson, Howard, Huron, Isabel, La Plant, Lake Preston, Martin, McIntosh, Mission, Plankinton, Wessington Springs, White River, Woonsocket, and Yankton. For more information, please visit www.horizonhealthcare.org.