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And yet, prompted by their daily battle to provide quality care despite chronic Medicaid underfunding and a staffing crisis, they reached out to Senator Jeff Wilson and Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez to invite them inside The Villager and see firsthand the mission that the Kleines have dedicated their lives to.
Mindy and Brian enjoyed educating Rep. Gluesenkamp-Perez’s staff, who, moved by the experience, vowed to connect them with staffers in other offices. The visit with Senator Wilson, however, triggered an even bigger positive reaction.
Mindy said “I was nervous about not being polished, not having the right words to say – but Senator Wilson is just like us. He’s a small-town man who’s walked our walk. I hope others don’t get discouraged feeling like that, because I’ve realized that our leaders are normal people who just want to help their communities.”
They got along right off the bat, connecting the dots between their local networks of friends and families. “That established a foundation of trust,” Mindy said, “and made it easy to have a productive conversation”.
Senator Wilson – Jeff, as Mindy now calls him – was “relatable, accessible, curious, and genuine”. He told Mindy her residents are worth fighting for. That she doesn’t need to know technical details and bill numbers – her firsthand experience is more than enough. That he and his colleagues rely on people like Mindy to tell them when a bill won’t work for them. That he’ll send her resources for grants and other support while he works through the legislative process.
This experience left Mindy inspired, ready to engage deeper and build on her newfound momentum. “Now I know that I’m not too small, that I can help change things. Getting mad at the TV doesn’t do anything – building relationships and educating lawmakers does.”
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