Legion steps up to provide money for Acropolis Manor

10,000 dollars, that’s the amount that the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #27 has donated towards providing furniture for rooms at the currently under construction replacement building for Acropolis Manor.

The facility won’t be completed until the fall of 2008, but there will be a number of extra touches required upon completion, which the community will no doubt wish to participate in.

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The Legion is the first group to make a donation to the Manor, which is still in the process of putting together a fund raising plan to attract more donations from the community for the 61 bed replacement Manor on Summit Avenue.

The Daily News featured further details on the Legion’s contribution and where the North Coast Heath Improvement Society hopes to go from here.

New Acropolis gets boost from Legion
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, October 31, 2007

The Royal Canadian Legion Branch #27 has stepped forward with the first donation, $10,000, to help furnish rooms at the replacement for Acropolis Manor.

Dorothy Millington-Jones, legion president, said they made the donation in the spirit of providing good care for local senior citizens.

"We decided to make the donation because there are so many senior citizens in this area," she said.

The funds will be used to provide furnishings in two of the facility's palliative care rooms. These are rooms specifically designed for end-of-life care, making people comfortable until they pass on.

The funds were donated to the North Coast Health Improvement Society on Monday, with representatives from the legion, health improvement society and Northern Health in attendance.

Murray Webster, North Coast Heath Improvement Society, said he hopes this is the first of many donations for the new facility.

"The facility is under construction and won't be completed until next fall," said Webster.

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"However, we will be looking at other opportunities for donations."

While they are not yet ready to announce their fundraising plans, Webster said they are looking at new ways to raise funds for the new facility.

"There's a never-ending list of things," he said.

The new complex care facility will replace the aging Acropolis Manor and replace rooms being provided to residents on the fourth floor of the hospital.

Plans for the new $20 million facility include 61 new replacement residential care beds and 15 new assisted living units, along with a new adult day centre for seniors.

Site preparation for the larger footprint of the building started early this year, wrapping up on time and under budget. Following a public tender process, Northern Health named Yellowridge Construction as the successful contractor for the 18-month project.

A ground-breaking ceremony took place this summer and the facility is expected to open in late 2008.