GRAND FORKS – As work moves the new Altru Hospital closer to completion, officials will mark this historic development with the placement of a time capsule in an interior wall.
Altru officials will mark the occasion with an invitation-only event at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 16. The capsule will be placed and sealed in a wall near the hospital’s cafeteria.
An outward-facing plaque signifies the date and location of the capsule, making it easier to locate and remove in the future, compared to the last capsule that was opened in summer 2023 at a picnic for Altru employees.
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Todd Forkel, chief executive officer for Altru Health System, has written a letter, addressed to “Dear future us,” that will be included in the large wooden box with a domed, hinged lid, custom-made by employees of Community Contractors Inc.
To the future CEO of Altru Hospital, Forkel said he hopes the organization’s vision statement, “Relentless Pursuit of Excellence,” continues to be at the forefront of leaders’ minds.
In determining the contents of the time capsule, hospital executives invited each department and distinct unit to contribute items that represent the uniqueness and individuality of their units, Forkel said.
About 30 units have provided items, and some individual requests may also be made, Forkel said in an interview on Wednesday, July 10. “We gave latitude for each area to take it seriously, but also have some fun.”
Those who open the capsule at some point in the future will discover items such as brochures that describe “the cutting edge technology of today,” he said.
They’ll also find things like an Annual Fundraising Mustache Calendar that the CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist) group, in the surgery department, uses to raise money for local charities or to help someone in need.
A brick taken from the Grand Forks Clinic when structural failure occurred in December 2016, causing it to be vacated, is labeled with a descriptive plaque and included in the capsule. The new hospital is built on the site of the clinic, which was razed to make way for the seven-story, 552,000-square-foot structure.
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The Saturday, July 13, 2024, issue of the Grand Forks Herald “will be the first thing the ‘future us’ will see” when the time capsule is opened well into the future, Forkel said.
‘Pop culture’
“The time capsule is a great way to commemorate a point in time, not only in our industry but also in Grand Forks,” he said.
To that end, items have been placed in the capsule that capture the “pop culture” that pervades society now. For example, Forkel said, “I’m a lover of caffeine,” so an empty can of his favorite energy drink will be placed in the time capsule.
He speculated that, when the capsule is opened and the can is spotted, “they’ll say, ‘People actually drank that stuff?’ ”
Items from popular local coffee shops and restaurants will also be discovered. A logo for Harry’s Steakhouse, a common setting for Altru recruitment dinners, will be included.
Selecting things that reflect what Grand Forks is like in 2024, beyond the walls of the hospital, “is a really cool thing to do,” Forkel said.
He and other leaders recognized that the capsule’s contents reflect a moment in time.
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“In any industry, day to day, it doesn’t feel like that much changes,” he said. “But over a long expanse of time, you can see how much has changed.”
However, some things do not, and should not, change, he said. Leaders of the past, present and future have grappled and will grapple with similar issues.
“You see the same topics come up,” Forkel said, reflecting on historical documents. “How do we work at having the best quality, the best service, achieving resiliency, and being a great place to work?”
‘Awe-inspiring’
Forkel joined Altru Health System two and half years ago, when plans for the hospital had been created and the lower levels of steel were already in place. As was true for many projects and plans, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a pause in hospital construction.
He anticipates that the target date for the new hospital to be operational will be in mid-January, but many steps – involving scrupulous attention to detail related to various functions and proof of compliance – have yet to be completed. In addition, employees will undertake training aimed at helping them become comfortable and competent as they transition to the new setting.
The $470 million project is expected to be structurally complete sometime in the fall.
“Now, to see (the hospital) nearly complete is really awe-inspiring,” he said. It reflects “the contributions of thousands of people.”
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