The need is there for a personal care facility in St. Brieux and, thanks to fundraising efforts, the project is a third of the way funded.
Fundraising efforts continued during the St. Brieux Manor auction on April 21.
St. Brieux Manor Inc. Board of Directors chair Pauline Boyer says they had a wide variety of items up for auction to raise money for the project with donations made from across the area, including from Humboldt, Melfort, Prince Albert, and Cudworth.
“People were extremely generous and we’re really pleased with the response from local and neighbouring communities...all those areas are very generous.”
The fundraising committee is aiming to raise $3.5 million for the project with the goal being to raise three-quarters of the final total before beginning construction, says Boyer.
The land for the project has been purchased, geotech analysis done, and plans have been drawn up for the 20 unit facility. As soon as they have the funds, they are ready to go, she says.
The facility will have a common kitchen and dining area, including some smaller gathering spaces for private functions.
Other amenities will include a tub room, salon, and covered patio.
The planning committee is also looking into green technology to make the building as sustainable as possible.
Boyer says the personal care facility is for members of the community who are mostly independent but need assistance with some aspects of their lives. The facility would be a step between living completely independently to living in a facility like St. Brieux Chateau Providence, a long term assisted living facility. Their goal is to fill that gap that is evident in their community, says Boyer.
“We were seeing a lot of people who were living at home and were starting to struggle and not able to access as much home care as they would have liked and yet they were not at the point where they could go into the Chateau.”
The manor will be licensed under the Ministry of Health so residents are eligible for a personal care home supplement to assist in living costs based on their income.
There are virtually no grants available for the funding of the facility, says Boyer, so the project will be funded entirely through fundraising and donations.
