The future of health care in Fayette County was the focus of Reid Health’s open house for its new Connersville campus. More than 200 people filled the 2500 Park Road building’s lobby Jan. 31 for an hour-long ceremony before embarking on guided tours.
With the next generation in mind, St. Gabriel students Lilly Copeland and Twila McClain opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, and the national anthem by Connersville Middle School student Victoria Steinard followed. All three were present at the facility’s groundbreaking ceremony nearly three years ago.
At that time, the vacant lot next to Kunkel’s was the first step in former Reid Health CEO/President Craig Kinyon’s 2019 outlook.
“It’s really a dream come true. This vision of what we’re actually looking at today wasn’t completely contemplated,“ Kinyon said. “It took really a whole other journey.”
Kinyon explained the financial hardship the former health care system, Fayette Regional, experienced. After 100 years of service, its bankruptcy opened the door for Reid Health to acquire it. That was only a short-term fix, and Reid leaders started looking to the longer term.
“How are we gonna take this need of services, for the people that are needing this care for the rest of their lives, and reset it and do it right? And that’s how this building came into play,” he said.
Several community members spoke, including Indiana State Rep. Lindsay Patterson, who was grateful that the new facility meant rural Connersville wasn’t being left behind. And Connersville Mayor Chad Frank envisioned opportunities to draw and retain new residents and businesses.
Reid Health CEO/President Ben Wells expressed gratitude to the entire Reid team and the unwavering faith in the “unlimited potential” of the Connersville community. He’s most excited about the level of care they can deliver.
“It’s life-changing, life-saving,” Wells said. “That’s what we’re looking forward to.”
The new two-story facility has a 15-bed emergency department with an adjoining heated helipad, a first for Connersville in 30 years. The first floor also offers standard laboratory and radiology services, including CT and MRI scans. And patients can meet their primary care needs too as the eight current Connersville-based providers will operate in the new facility.
For family and visitors, the USLA Café, sponsored by Union Savings & Loan Association, offers beverages and snacks from 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Patrons can also admire an art gallery and a history wall chronicling Connersville’s health care legacy.
The second floor houses specialty care offices, ranging from cardiology and infusion therapy to the eventual additions of endocrinology and neurology.
The campus has nine named spaces honoring donors who contributed to the $100M investment, including optometrist Dr. Andrew Yaryan Primary Care Services and the Dave Rodgers Green Roof, named after the late businessman and conservationist. Opportunities to donate remain available as the Reid Foundation continues its capital campaign throughout 2026.
Angela Cline, Reid Foundation’s director, detailed how they’ve raised $4.3 million of their $5 million goal.
“It really felt insurmountable in the beginning. But I’ll tell you what, just the generosity of this community and folks that have really stepped up, I think people recognize the vision of what we want to do here in Connersville,” she said. “And I think they see these gifts as a way to, in some cases, honor their family, their family’s legacy, through a gift that will stand for generations to come.”
Reid Health Connersville opens at the end of March. For information on supporting the capital campaign, visit ReidHealth.org/BuildUp or call the Foundation office at 765-983-3102.
A version of this article appeared in the February 4 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.