Planning has to start somewhere, and in the case of the future of the Sutton Community Home, and more specifically, the nursing home at the Sutton Community Home, that time is now, not just for Sutton, but for Clay County as a whole.
Financial support is the biggest key to any community improvement project, in any community, whether or not it’s in Nebraska, or any other state in the United States, if the support isn’t there, things just don’t move forward, as moving forward is next to impossible.
As the acting president of the Sutton Community Home Foundation, which I have been involved since it was launched 10 years ago, in 2014, the one goal from the very inception of developing the foundation was to improve, and enhance the lives of residents that live in the home.
We tried the in 2019 and in early 2020 but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, along with a few other “ailments,” that derailed the first run at funding an upgrade to the home. Now...we’re back at it, and going full force.
This week, I wanted to address a few comments that have been made to members of the foundation, and the SCH board of directors, with the biggest being, “I gave to the first campaign, and we’re still waiting to see what’s going to happen.”
This go-round, as we are currently in the midst of a planning study, and I reiterate, a planning study, by the Omaha-based Steier Group, who also led our first planning study, we’re in the stage of the game to interview people, get feedback, hear the “good and the bad/complaints” of what people what to see happen. This stage is ONLY going on to see what the potential findings are to help support an almost $6 million renovation to the current facility.
While we are asking those who do an interview with our planning manager, Jim Rogers, what a potential pledge might look like from each person, couple, or family, we are NOT asking for an instant donation. We just need to know what the potential could be, should we move into phase two of our agreement with the Steier Group, which would be the Capital Campaign.
At that point, if the potential funding opportunities look favorable, the foundation, along with the SCH Board, and the leaders on the staff of the home will then reach out to seek “pledges of support” to help fund the effort moving forward.
With all of that said, many alumni of the Sutton Public Schools will be receiving a mailing very soon, that has a fact sheet, and survey inserted, that we hope when you receive this, you will respond to the survey, however you see fit to do so, and return it.
In addition, as you will notice, just to the lower left of this week’s Bull, is an advertisement, from the Sutton Community Home, and the SCH Foundation, featuring a “QR code image.”
We ask that you point your cell phone camera to that QR code, take a picture of it, and it should take you to a direct link to the survey on the web.
You see, this survey is extremely key to the future of the Sutton Community Home, and more specifically, the nursing home side of the operation.
The home is approaching 60 years of age, this July, and if forward progress to make major improvements to the facility aren’t made, the true future will definitely be up in the air.
That is not meant to be a “threat” so to speak, but it is a certainty. No support, may very well equal a deeply troubled future for the Sutton facility.
Prior to the facility being built back in 1964, there were some very forward-thinking people made things happen in Sutton, and I know for a fact that there are still many people like that. If we don’t think like our forefathers that first had the drive to build the Sutton Community Home, nearly 60 years ago, we wouldn’t be at this stage simply asking for your help to “fill out this survey, or more, interview with Jim Rogers to share your thoughts, and feelings about the future of the facility, otherwise, this effort isn’t going to move forward so your support is needed, because if nothing happens now, by taking part in the survey, and let us know your thoughts, the future of the Sutton home is in jeopardy.
Sutton let their voices be heard in the support of daycare facilities in recent years, so now, no matter if you’re a young, growing family, or a well-solidified member of the community, your help during this survey is greatly needed.
Now it is time to put that same effort towards senior care, as this community did for daycare services for our youth, and keep a strong and viable nursing home in Sutton, and the only way that is going to happen is YOU.
Those of you reading the Bull, I ask you to share the Bull this week, which will be on my personal Facebook page, and the Clay County News’ Facebook page, with your friends and family, and certainly those of you to also share the weblink to your friends and family to the survey, so that they can share their thoughts, ideas, and feedback with us before the planning study wraps up, on Friday, Feb. 16.
To reiterate...we are not asking you to give a donation now, but we are asking what you feel your potential is to help support the effort to infuse a roughly $6 million renovation into the Sutton Community Home’s skilled nursing center, so that we can continue to provide amazing, and caring care to the residents at the Sutton Home.
If you aren’t good with QR Codes, simply type in this website link into your favorite browser: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ ResponsePage.aspx?id=iK1B7eKVy-EuixVUk6kBPKEjj6DqrjpJGssBcx-vHEEnxUQ01DRldJOFA5ODk2QThGRzF-WV1FTTjdBNS4u& origin=QRCode.
I realize that it IS an overwhelmingly super long link to type into a web browser, but it will take you to the survey, ask you several questions, but it shouldn’t take more thean 5-7 minutes to complete. What’s 5-7 minutes, for another several decades of wonderful care for the residents of Clay County, by the fantastic staff at the Sutton Community Home?
