By Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Photo by Aila Boyd
Photo by Aila Boyd
Photo by Aila Boyd
Photo by Aila Boyd
Photo by Aila Boyd
Photo by Aila Boyd
Photo by Aila Boyd
Photo by Aila Boyd
Photo by Aila Boyd
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held last Wednesday for The Chaplick Center Memory Care Neighborhood, which is part of The Glebe.
Designed to care for the unique needs of seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, The Chaplick Center offers person-centered care and programming modeled after industry-leading concepts for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
The cost of construction for the center totaled $5 million. The majority of the funds was provided by the estate of June Chaplick, a former resident of The Glebe. Additional donations came from other residents. Local architects SFCS designed the center. G&H Construction performed the build.
Ellen D’Ardenne, the executive director of The Glebe, provided the opening remarks for the ceremony.
“It’s my honor and privilege to welcome you to The Chaplick Center,” she said.
She described the unveiling of the center as the start of “an exciting new chapter” in the life of The Glebe. “We are here today because of the commitment of our residents, their families, the staff of The Glebe, the LifeSpire Board of Trustees, and our president,” she said.
The center, she said, furthers The Glebe’s mission of providing its residents with purposeful living.
Grant Holmes, the executive director of the Botetourt County Chamber of Commerce, served as the master of ceremonies for the evening.
“From the Botetourt County Chamber of Commerce’s perspective, this is obviously a very important day. This represents a continued investment in the most beautiful county in the entire state,” he said. “We really appreciate that investment and what it means for the entire business community.”
Jonathan Cook, the president/CEO of LifeSpire of Virginia, described the ribbon-cutting ceremony as representing a “day of completion.” The company made a commitment to its original residents in 2004, he said, that a memory care center would one day be established.
Rep. Ben Cline (R-6th District) was in attendance. “This is a time for celebration. It’s an amazing looking facility,” he said.
He noted that his family recently relocated to Botetourt County. “We did it because we love the people here. This is a welcoming community,” he said. “It is exemplified by this achievement today.”
The special guest speakers included Annette Clark, the family and services director of the Central and Western Virginia Alzheimer’s Association, Audrey Guild, a resident at The Glebe and donor to the center, and Ken McFadyen, the director of economic development for Botetourt County.
Clark said that she looks into the eyes of people who are struggling with dementia and Alzheimer’s every day. Because of that, she said she couldn’t be happier about the opening of The Chaplick Center.
“There are currently 5.8 million Americans living with this disease,” she noted of Alzheimer’s, adding that it’s estimated that the number will increase to 14 million by 2050.
Guild is the sister of June Chaplick, the major donor to the center who had Alzheimer’s. “I grew up with the loveliest lady imaginable. She was a tough act to follow,” she said of Chaplick. “She grew up before her years. Her childhood was a responsible one.”
She urged those in attendance to associate Chaplick with her willingness to lend a hand.
McFadyen thanked the Chaplick family on behalf of the county and the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors for investing in the center. He added that The Glebe is an “anchor employer” in the community.
“Often times when we talk about economic development we’re talking about manufacturing and job creation, but at the same time economic development must pay attention to quality of life. It means supporting businesses that allow our residents to have a good quality of life. This is a wonderful addition to the community,” he said.
The 14,800-square-foot neighborhood consists of four neighborhoods with five private resident rooms to accommodate 20 residents. The center also includes a full “cook-to-order” kitchen, family-style dining, common living and active areas, an expansive exterior courtyard with patio and screened porches, and a salon and spa.
