Guthrie County Health Services Director Jotham Arber (left) shows Dr. Stephen Bascom (second from left) dedication plaque after handing him framed version of dedication resolution

Tuesday was the grand reopening at the Guthrie County Health Services building, before it quickly received a name change.

Health Services Director Jotham Arber said that with the addition of mental health services, the interior of the building needed a major revamp to help things flow more smoothly. At 1:30pm, a ceremony was held outside dedicating the facility to Dr. Stephen Bascom, who has served on the Guthrie County Board of Health for 40 years. Arber told those in attendance another reason why this dedication made perfect sense.

“He has been a champion for long-term investments in prevention, education, and access to care. But more than titles or tenure, Dr. Bascom’s true legacy lies in the lives he has touched. In every patient reassured by his steady hand. In every public health worker who found direction in his guidance. In every family who felt seen, heard, and cared for because he believed that rural communities deserve nothing less. So today it is with deep gratitude, and immense pride, that we will dedicate this facility in his honor. From this day forward, the Guthrie County Health Services building will be known as the ‘Dr. Steven Bascom Health Center.’”

Arber and Guthrie County Board of Supervisors Chair Maggie Armstrong presented Bascom with a framed version of the resolution for the dedication, and a plaque, which will be displayed in the building.