If you visit with Beth Peterick and Sara Beger, it is easy to see the special bond that they share. The twin sisters were born and raised on a farm near Thief River Falls and went on to pursue a career in healthcare at Sanford Health.
Together is Better
They graduated from Lincoln High School and went on to receive LPN degrees from Northland Community and Technical College, followed by bachelor’s degrees from Bemidji State University, and master’s degrees in nursing. “We did everything together,” Beth said.
Both are Nurse Practitioners, but Beth works in women’s health, while Sara works in family practice. “Sanford has been in our lives for a long time,” Sara said. “We both started here, and we’ve always enjoyed our jobs here. Staying here was our only option, as far as we were concerned.”
Quality Care in Thief River Falls
Both are enthusiastic about the quality of care that is available to patients at Sanford Health Thief River Falls. “When I tell people how many providers there are here at Sanford, they are always blown away,” Sara said. “We have lots of different specialties that are there every day. We have dermatology. We have women’s health, family practice, internal medicine. We have a walk-in clinic and a huge behavioral health center. That’s a big deal, to have that kind of care here,” Sara said.
In addition, Sanford has numerous specialists that come to the clinic regularly, providing services like ENT and cardiology. “I think it’s super important that people don’t have to leave to get that sort of care,” Sara said.
Beth emphasized the quality of care that comes with having a healthcare provider who knows you. “People often have a hard time opening up to their provider and asking questions, but in a small community like this, your provider knows your family, your kids, your grandparents. The fact that people know us can really help.”
Family Connections
Beth and Sara both love the family connections and small-town lifestyle that they’ve come to know. “My sister lives three miles down the road and she can stop by my house on her way home from work. Our families are really close,” Beth said.
“I wanted my kids to grow up like I did, in a rural community, a smaller high school, tons of sports available to them, but that smaller community where you know everyone,” Sara said. “That was really important to me.”
Both women also appreciate the safety of Thief River Falls. “I’ve never felt concerned about safety here,” Beth said. “I’ve never locked my car. I don’t worry when I leave my house. I don’t worry when I go to the store. We’re very safe.”
The Future
Both women envision living in the community for many years to come. “I’m super excited for my kids to go to Thief River Falls school, graduate, and hopefully raise their families here.” Sara said. “I envision my grandkids playing in the home I have now, and I hope they stay around here.”
Beth added, “Our kids are around the same age, so I think it would be really cool that they get to go to the same school, walk in the hallways we walked in, graduate, and play sports here—all those fun things—and get to live in this amazing and fun community.”
“A Special Bond” is part of the Come Home to Thief River Falls series.
Click here to download a PDF version of the 12-page “Come Home to Thief River Falls” publication.