Was there much doubt as to who the unnamed donor was?

I see the Argus is noting this AM that the mysterious donor who is providing nearly 1/2 a billion - and that's with a "B" - to Sioux Valley in order to create a network of clinics and medical research centers is Denny Sanford.

I don't think it's a huge shock to anyone. It's a pretty short list in SD when names come to mind for that extreme form of philanthropy. And T. Denny Sanford is at the top of it.

Sure, they're going to change their name to Sanford Health, and that might attract some criticism as it did when an aspect of his major donation to Homestake caused Representative Dale Hargens to grouse about it.

In response, I'd offer, "so what."

I said it back at the end of June, and I'd say the same type of thing now, if I was giving that much money, I'd want a mention of it somewhere too in the hopes it might inspire future generosity and philantropy in an increasingly self-centered world.

In anyone's book, we should all recognize the act as a "good one."

Comments

Anonymous said…
How long before we change our name to SanDakota? I think it is great he's donating $. What I think is overlooked is how he earned it - exorbitant interest rates. His customers are the ones buying all this stuff in his name, and I guess we should thank them as well.
Anonymous said…
It's now time to rename the Argus Leader to the Sanford Leader.
Anonymous said…
You are both morons. I can see why you would be upset about making SD a NATIONAL healthcare center.
Anonymous said…
The alternative is that the $400 million plus could ahve gone elsewhere, so what's the down side to creating huge investment in our state, working to develop solutions to health issues that mean some children, probably a lot, are going to have healthier lives, and the risk that the spin-off impact will create thousands of jobs for families in this state. This is good on every level, and the weekend will only be more complete when Manning stomps on the Bears
Anonymous said…
In order to end the confusion of Sioux Falls and Sioux City, I suggest the Mayor Munson ask T. Denny for $200 million to complete Lewis and Clark, and put an events center downtown and rename Sioux Falls, Sanford Falls.
Anonymous said…
Sanford make a contingency pledge, not a donation to the Homestake project. His money is contingent upon Homestake being chosen to be the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Lab. While South Dakota is playing economic games with the site, Colorado is putting scientists to work at their mine. It is doubtful Sanford will have to provide his donation to Homestake.
Anonymous said…
Like it or not, it's South Dakota's wacked out social policies that's going to lose Homestake for us.
Anonymous said…
Let's rename skunk creek Sanford Creek. Let's rename USD just US. Sanford Falls sounds good. I thought Rounds was going to have an orgasm on stage yesterday he was so frickin beside himself. Maybe he should change his name too. M. Michael Sanford or M. Denny Rounds.

And Lee, Payton and the Colts are soft...not going to be pretty but there will be crying at the end.
Anonymous said…
12:16,

I'm not certain, but i'm pretty sure you're an angry idiot
Anonymous said…
Thank you Denny Sanford.

Out of curiousity, what's the biggest donation a Dem ever made to this state?
Anonymous said…
Dick Kneip - created the modern investment council that has protected retirees pensions and out-performed any other public fund in the country over it's history

PS and Manning IS going to deliver --and next year when we bring Fran Tarkington out of retirement - go Vikes :)
Anonymous said…
I just have to say - all the criticism of Denny Sanford's gift is so silly. Sioux Valley is a non-profit entity - they can name themselves whatever they want. And $400 million to make Sioux Falls a national healthcare center is one of the most significant things to ever happen to Sioux Falls and to this state - I can see why Rounds and Thune seemed so happy. (By the way - where the hell was Stephanie Herseth?)

And I'm getting sick of people acting like it was somehow criminal that Sanford made his money on credit cards. No one held a gun to the heads of his customers and made them sign up. He was willing to give credit to high-risk customers - and he got paid for taking a risk. That's business.

As for Homestake, SD is far and away the leader for the national lab - and it has nothing to do with the Sanford gift. The head of the Colorado project has said as much publicly. Sanford's gift is the icing on the cake.

It's just like the Democrats - they demonize people for being successful. Then, when those people choose to give back, they demonize them again. That's because Dems want to take all of the money and decide for themselves how to spend it.
PP said…
2:24 - good question on Dems' donations.

I'm not sure, but I think Dale Larson in Brookings is a Dem, and he's making significant and considerable contributions to that community.

Of course, I don't think it's 400m worth.
Anonymous said…
The biggest I know of was one of the Dems,several years ago, giving Kloucek $20 for his Czech Days party.
Anonymous said…
Nick it degenerated into D's v. R's because somebody asked.

Further, somebody said that our "wacked out social policies" were going to kill the Homestake deal thereby killing the Sanford donation.

Also, Dale Hargens had a temper tantrum and acted like a child when USD renamed the med school.

All of those things described above are excellent reasons why this state can't move forward.

Hargens and his bassackwards thinking and then the belief that social policy will kill Homestake.

That sort of logic in of itself is neanderthalian at best.
Anonymous said…
I was at the announcement. I can tell you the atmosphere was electric and a couple other things:

1.) I gained a completely new respect for Kelby and his vision for the future.

2.) After about a year of feeling otherwise, I am once again proud of where I work.

Now let's see what happens.
Anonymous said…
I thought he got his money in the junk business, you know "Sanford and Son!"
Anonymous said…
I think this is a great thing for South Dakota. To see it any other way is simply foolish.
Nicholas Nemec said…
Anon 12:36am lol! That's funny.
Anonymous said…
Math Question:

How many laborers working for the mimimum wage have to work for 5 years to make it possible for one man to accumulate a billion and a half on their labor?

We should be glad that he is however putting some of it back into South Dakota. We have had more than a few people who made a pot of money in South Dakota and then turned around and donated it Harvard or some other not in South Dakota institution.

Sanford might now think about donating some money to an education research project that will help develop better ways to teach science and engineering than lecturing in the format of the middle ages when books were unavailable. It would not hurt to see what might get grade school and high school kids interested in Science and Engineering in a realistic way so they understand both the costs and the benefits.

The medical system knowledge does not just depend upon doctors and nurses. If South Dakota rather than just Sioux Falls is to benefit from this, then programs to get more South Dakotans upto speed in science and medical science is essential.

Without a doubt, these facilities will have to be parasitic to start with by bringing in people from other research institutions. If they can be put to better use in new areas, that is all to the good.
If they just get moved here and leave a hole someplace else, the benefits may be great for Sioux Falls, but not so great for the rest of the state or the rest of the health care system.

With more and more of the newborn in South Dakota going to mothers who are unwed and/or unemployed, the clinics here if they are going to get many participants will have to be run as charity institutions.

Some Texas hospitals end up with 70 to 80 percent of their maternity cases being aliens who have bills paid by county, state, and federal programs. No doubt they will need more clinics in the future too.

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