So many people are discovering the Wood River Valley (Sun Valley area) as the place to live. There is so much going on here. There’s something for everyone: social events, educational seminars, outings, food specialties, theater, films, adventure, music of every genre, fundraisers, parties, museums, sports…you name it. See what is going on and visit this web site:

SunValleyOnline.com Buzz Newsletter [sunvalleyonlinebuzz@enjoysunvalley.ccsend.com]

Of course, if you are an introvert and want to be alone, everyone here respects privacy.

Our local hospital has received high recognition for service and innovation.

Many real estate buyers ask about our local medical facilities. Our hospital is only a few years old in its new location between Ketchum and Hailey. It is right off the highway so it is convenient to all 4 towns that make up our Wood River Valley: Sun Valley, Ketchum, Hailey and Bellevue. We are very proud of St. Luke’s. They offer many community services beyond strictly hospital care. They help with food distribution and nutrition advice, some free health checks, exercise room and much more. Emergency transport is available to Boise or Salt Lake City for specialty care.

According to our local paper, The Idaho Mountain Express, here are details of those awards:

Avatar International, a healthcare research and consulting company based in Florida, last week honored St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center for exemplary work in 2008. The company issued three awards to the hospital south of Ketchum:

• Five Star Service Award for Inpatient Loyalty & Endorsement: St. Luke’s was selected as the top performer among 312 hospitals nationwide as the facility with the highest patient satisfaction ratings for willingness to return for services and/or recommend the hospital to others.
• Exceeding Patient Expectations Award: St. Luke’s was selected among the top third of 312 hospitals nationwide for this award based on patient expectations about quality of care, reliability and preparation prior to the hospital visit.
• Innovation Award: The hospital was one of eight among 78 hospitals nationwide selected for this award based on a series of patient safety initiatives implemented over the past three years for patient identification prior to administration of medication.

Sun Valley is a fantastic destination resort for history buffs. The valley has a very rich history including: Hemingway, trapping, mining, Indian, the Union Pacific Railroad, sheep herding, skiing and much more.

Check out this site for our museum and history information.

What is there to do in Sun Valley? Whether you like theater, art, music, photography, lectures, seminars or just sports there’s something for everyone here. If you like symphony music, come in August.

It is our peak tourist month and the weather is perfect. Actually, the name Sun Valley originated because we have so many days of sun here in the valley with an average temp of 78 degrees.

The Sun Valley Summer Symphony goes on for three weeks with most of the musicians coming from the San Francisco area. We have many renowned special guest artists and this is the second year in the fantastic Symphony Pavilion. This structure is an architectural feat and perfect for a semi outdoor venue. For more information on this event or any other activity you like, email me at zauner@sunvalleyre.com with your questions.

Long known as the first real destination summer and winter resort in the United States, Sun Valley is being recognized by The Tourism Division of the Idaho Department of Commerce. They are presenting a “lifetime achievement” award to Earl and Carol Holding and the company’s general manager, Wally Huffman, at a luncheon Thursday, May 7, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Sun Valley Resort’s Limelight Room in the Sun Valley Inn. The Sun Valley Resort is hosting the annual Conference on Recreation and Tourism.

The Holdings have invested heavily in many recreation facilities, most recently for skiing, ice skating and golf. They have built a state of the art symphony pavilion which provides a venue for many wonderful events including the Sun Valley Summer Symphony which performs in August.