About Us
"The vision for Peak Wellness Collaborative is to build a thriving community of wellness practitioners where collaboration displaces competition, and where clients are treated and motivated to reach their peak wellness."
-Rich and Mary Willard, owners Peak Wellness Collaborative
Peak Wellness Collaborative is a unique addition to the Arkansas Valley wellness community offering office space for lease in Buena Vista for licensed and certified health and wellness practitioners - as well as offering wellness classes, guest speakers, and events for the community. Peak Wellness Collaborative brings together an alliance of licensed and certified professionals offering therapies and modalities to help support the health and wellness of our community and surrounding areas.
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Serving all of Chaffee County and surrounding areas.
We are looking for...
chiropractors
counseling services
estheticians
aestheticians
dentists
functional medicine provider
health & wellness practitioners
herbalists
homeopathy
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integrative medical doctors
naturopathic physician
licensed massage therapist
natural health providers
nutrition counseling/dietician
pediatrician
physical therapist
rolfing
sports medicine
therapists
Building Updates & Layout
Building renovations were planned out in three phases.
Phase 1 - COMPLETED - 8 suites, west side of the building: new carpet, paint, trim, lighting, deep clean, exterior
Phase 2 - COMPLETED - east side (leased when purchased): new carpet, paint, trim, lighting, deep clean
Phase 3 - IN PROGRESS Attached residential building aka The Annex, east side, 1000 sq ft., self-contained
Meet The Owners
Rich & Mary Willard
Family, faith, wellness, nature – these are just a few reason Rich and Mary Willard chose Buena Vista, Colorado when planning for their next stage of life. Rich and Mary moved to Buena Vista during the pandemic in 2020 so they could be closer to family and be present in the lives of their kids and grandkids in the breathtaking Arkansas River Valley. Rich, with a background in commercial real estate was looking for a new project. One that might take him out of retirement. “I felt like I needed a bigger purpose to challenge me, one that would connect us to our community and strengthen the personal relationship we shared.”
Mary’s interest in the health and wellness started as a young mother in her 20’s. Juggling motherhood and a high-paced career she eventually became severely ill and was diagnosed with a serious autoimmune disease. Over the past 30+ years, she found healing in food, lifestyle, and Kagen water, helping her body into remission in 2018.
After an almost 30-year hiatus as a Colorado resident, Mary found herself moving back, this time to the mountains. Mary was juggling running a successful real estate business in Seattle from Colorado and finding her place and connection in the community during a pandemic. The purchase of the Buena Vista Health Center seemed like the perfect way to combine her passion for health and wellness and to connect with others within the Arkansas Valley.
“We feel honored that we have the privilege of maintaining the legacy of health care.” - Rich Willard
Building History
36 Oak St. is rich with history dating back to 1956 and at the time was looked upon as an "experimental project by the State of Colorado to show other rural communities how they could erect low-cost facilities to medically serve their communities".
Built from donations and volunteers from around the community, Dr. James Greene was the first doctor to practice at what was then called The Buena Vista Community Clinic. Fresh out of residency, making the snowy, mountainous trek from Denver with his family, Dr. Greene was attracted to Buena Vista immediately. He headed to the pharmacy to inquire about local doctors. The Pharmacist, Mr. E. Hale Lallier directed him to Lloyd Swedhin, the man that happened to be looking for a doctor for the community. Dr. Green was hired and eventually made a name for himself in the community. The facility was equipped to deliver babies and more and more expecting mothers came to the clinic after word got around. There is even said to be a club in BV that call themselves The Buena Vista Babies made up of people delivered by Dr. Greene during his time there.
The clinic experienced many ups and downs throughout its time, occasionally closing its doors but always owned and maintained by the Board, who kept immaculate records over the years.
Rich and Mary Willard feel privileged to have purchased the building from the original owners and "plan to honor the original intent of the building" by maintaining services within the health and wellness space.
12/5/1955
The Buena Vista Health Clinic is formed
6/24/1956
Ground is broken for the building
11/10/1956
Dr. James Greene starts practice
6/23/1957
Health Clinic dedicated.
Clinic opens
4/1963
Dr. Arbogast resigns, Dr. Robert McGowen takes up practice
1995
Dr. McGowen ends his practice at the building
3/1959
Dr. James Arbogast takes up practice. Clinic reopens
1/1974
Expansion of the building to combine the Herrle home
3/28/2016
Mountain Medical merges with HRRMC
12/20/2021
Rich and Mary Willard buy the building under the name 36 Oak Street, LLC.
8/8/2016
Swan Mountain Family Clinic opens BV office
6/23/2022
36 Oak St. celebrates 65 years of service!
Soft opening of Peak Wellness Collaborative