Did you know that St. William’s Living Center recently took over operations at Willow Creek Senior Independent and Assisted Living in Henning, MN?
In September of 2024, Donna Bartels came on as the new Executive Director of Willow Creek and she has been hard at work since that time! Donna goes the extra mile for the residents and staff. Keep reading to learn more about her background and her plans for Willow Creek.
Over Twenty Years of Nursing Experience
Donna was born and raised near Parkers Prairie, MN and worked in assisted living care facilities during the early part of her career. For the last 20 years, she has worked as a Registered Nurse in hospital care in Central MN.
Why the move to Willow Creek?
After the pandemic, Donna felt like she wanted a change of pace. Hospital care had been her passion for years, but she felt a desire to move into a care facility where she could form deeper connections with residents and staff. Her prior facility was for-profit, and the fact that Willow Creek and SWLC are non-profit organizations appealed to her.
She also wanted to take on more of a leadership role in her local community. At her former care facility, Donna was responsible for big improvements in work and client care culture. She brought what she learned to Willow Creek.
A Culture of Communication
As soon as Donna started at Willow Creek, she implemented changes. For example, a resident can now get their blood drawn at Willow Creek rather than having to go to the clinic.
Donna also went to work getting to know the residents and staff with an open-door policy. Everyone at Willow Creek knows they can come to Donna with their comments or concerns.
A typical day for Donna starts in the dining room helping wherever she is needed to get breakfast prepared. She delivers breakfast trays to rooms, pours coffee for residents in the dining hall, and greets staff. When the meal is complete, she helps residents return safely to their rooms.
One resident, Glen, had been with Donna at a prior care facility and decided to move to Willow Creek when she did. He trusts Donna and loves that Willow Creek offers him more freedom and independence. Glen enjoys chatting with her while she delivers breakfast every morning.

After breakfast, Donna spends her days in her office, working on scheduling, safety planning, and connecting with service providers.
The Future Is Bright at Willow Creek
When asked about her plans for the future, Donna’s eyes light up. “I want to increase the number of services we offer,” she says. Willow Creek currently offers a game room, fitness room, and beauty salon. But Donna is always looking to improve, stating her number one goal is improving resident satisfaction.
Transportation to and from doctor appointments has been an issue for residents in the past. Donna has already brought in an urgent care provider to help residents with minor medical needs. This cuts down on the number of hospital visits and ambulance rides.
Donna is working with home care providers to bring physical therapy services to Willow Creek. She works with hospice providers and with the staff at St. William’s Living Center to ensure residents have the care they need when they need it. Residents of Willow Creek are given priority at St. William’s Living Center if they need placement in a skilled nursing facility.
Activities are also an important part of life at Willow Creek and Donna hopes to bring new, fresh activities to the residents in Henning. She plans to implement mixers, live music, birthday celebrations, and regular get-togethers with the residents.
Staff development is another big goal of Donna’s. She is working on team-building exercises, increased educational resources, and more gatherings to bring staff together and improve morale.
Willow Creek: Living Done Well!
If you or a loved one is looking for an assisted living facility, don’t hesitate to check out Willow Creek. Contact Donna anytime to learn about our many offerings!







