The Face of Rejuvenate Retires

SEELEY LAKE - When Kim Grover opened Rejuvenate Day Spa in June of 2004, she thought she could handle all aspects of the business. After six months, she quickly realized she needed someone to handle the front office. Lynn Mitchell was the perfect fit guaranteeing Grover that not only would she help turn her part time position into full time, she would also make it so Grover couldn't live without her.

After more than 13 years, Mitchell has done that and more. She is retiring this spring with Alyssa McLean replacing her in the front office. Everyone is invited to celebrate her retirement April 19 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Rejuvenate in the Lazy Pine Mall.

Mitchell lived in Great Falls prior to moving to Seeley Lake in 2000. She worked in retail sales for Buttrey Food & Drug and then Fox Farm Foods with her now husband, Pat. After graduating from Montana State University with a degree in Business Entrepreneurship, she moved to Seeley Lake in December of 2000 for a fresh start.

After moving to Seeley Lake, Mitchell took a job as the barista at the coffee shop outside Wold's Valley Market. She managed it for Bruce and Kelli Wold until it closed in 2004.

"I learned a lot. It is hard to make money sometimes here," said Mitchell. "I still have people that call me Latte Lynn. You just make these relationships with people and it just continues."

Grover, a customer at the coffee shop, approached Mitchell about coming to work at Rejuvenate. At her interview, Mitchell learned that her job description was to "make Kim's job easier."

Up for a new challenge in something she had never done before, Mitchell chose to work at Rejuvenate after being offered two other jobs at local businesses.

"If you are a good worker in this town you can find a job," said Mitchell.

Mitchell started part time. She scheduled patients around Grover's dog feeding and training schedule while she was still mushing. She also set up the office. When she started, the records were kept in a box with no filing cabinet or desk and only a small computer.

"Kim told me she would get me whatever I needed and she did," said Mitchell.

Medical office management is multi-faceted and requires excellent organizational skills. The position required scheduling patients, verifying insurance coverage, utmost confidentiality, credentialing physical therapists, requesting/sending medical records, financial duties and various other tasks. Grover said Mitchell brought all of this to the business and more.

What started as just Grover and Mitchell has now evolved. Rejuvenate has moved all over the Lazy Pine Mall as they added additional physical therapists and other businesses moved out. Now they have two treatment rooms, a massage therapy room, a gym and three office spaces employing three physical therapists, a massage therapist and office manager.

Mitchell's favorite part of her job, and one she will miss the most, was working with the people. Even though she saw people when they were at their worst because of an injury or recent surgery, she enjoyed watching their progression and seeing them get better.

"We have some snow birds that come every year because this is massage and physical therapy," said Mitchell. "You have people that are so grateful, that you become part of their lives."

Mitchell said the recent changes in health care have been the biggest challenge of her career.

"If you don't keep up on it, you don't get paid," said Mitchell. "It's been very tough these past couple years because the rules are changing and it's harder to give the health care that you want to give."

Even though there have always been hoops and strict guidelines to follow, Mitchell's job used to focus more on the people and now the administration part has taken over. "That's been hard because it takes away from the people. That's not what we prefer to do but that is how it has evolved."

Mitchell will miss her co-workers who are more like family that employees. Rejuvenate's claim to fame used to be Girl Power until physical therapist William "Bill" Lemke joined the staff in 2015. While this added a new dynamic, they all enjoy creating a fun work atmosphere through practical jokes and pranks.

"You have to make it light. You need to find humor where it is and we do," she said.

Mitchell said she will also miss watching the sunrise with pharmacist Karen Dove in the morning before anyone else arrives at the mall; Belle the office dog who Mitchell refers to as her grand dog and taking care of a therapist's new baby while answering calls and visiting with patients.

"It helped out our new mom but I also got my grandma fix," said Mitchell. "The patients always knew if it was Tuesday, it was a Logi day and Belle would be out of sorts because she didn't like sharing me. So many people and memories, I do appreciate my time here at Rejuvenate and Seeley Lake."

Mitchell said that there isn't much she and Pat haven't touched in Seeley Lake through Pat's career at Wold's Valley Market and Rovero's and volunteering with the Seeley Lake Lions Club and other organizations. "It's been fun to see all the things that we've had a hand in."

Mitchell is looking forward to traveling in retirement. She and Pat are selling their beloved home in Seeley Lake and are looking forward to life on the road in their new motorhome. This year they have plans to visit Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, Washington D.C., work on her cousin's Hot Air Balloon crew in Albuquerque, N.M. and will join friends in Pacadena, Calif. in December to work on a Rose Bowl float.

"I'm really proud of this little business," said Mitchell. "[I] run it like it is [mine]. Everything is for the business. I think my contributions to the business and to the community have been very positive. I feel good about leaving. I think I left it better than when I came in."

"I would like to publicly thank Lynn for her exceptional 13 plus years of work at Rejuvenate," said Grover. "Lynn's level of dedication, professionalism, compassion and fun will be greatly missed."