$1.3M Expansion & Upgrade to Good Shepherd Home Chapel, Courtyard, and Greenhouse

  May 22, 2023

Released by:  Benefit Fund of McKenzie Health

$1.3M Expansion & Upgrade to Good Shepherd Home Chapel, Courtyard, and Greenhouse

Watford City—Approximately 190 individuals and businesses contributed to a $1.3 million capital campaign to expand and renovate the Good Shepherd Home’s Chapel, create an adjacent Courtyard, and implement a Greenhouse. Lynn Welker-Fevold, Chief Development Officer, said, “Fundraising efforts for this initiative were kicked-off in September 2021 and came full circle in February 2023 thank you to the generosity of so many who are passionate about positive, quality of life activities as they pertain to long term care.” Welker-Fevold also stated that the idea was sparked from a person who wishes to remain unnamed but cares deeply about making sure that spiritual services are available to residents in a comfortable setting.

The expanded and renovated Chapel space will provide needed updates to equipment and facilities, offering additional options for separating the Activities Room from the Chapel using modern architecture concepts while maximizing space. The adjacent Courtyard will offer a new, reimagined space to include an accessible gazebo for residents to enjoy. To complement an already robust activities program, a Greenhouse will be placed in the Courtyard as well to accommodate guest gardeners and opportunities for residents to grow flowers. Of the new capital additions coming, Randy Quale, Benefit Fund of McKenzie Health Board Chairman, said, “The Foundation is excited to be able to enhance the Good Shepherd Home’s space for residents to enjoy individually or with family & friends. Our hope is that the Chapel, Courtyard, and Greenhouse will offer diverse spaces for spirituality, creativity, and sociability.”

Icon Architects, in concert with McKenzie Health and McKenzie Health’s Good Shepherd Home Activities Team, are moving forward with the project design where the Chapel, Courtyard, and Greenhouse will be deployed simultaneously. Design processes will be wrapped up in July. Construction Engineers will be overseeing project construction. During the month of August, Construction Engineers will be working to coordinate contractors for the project where the goal will be to break ground in September. The Greenhouse structure will be the last piece of the project to be installed. A final project completion timeframe is targeted for June 2024. As forward motion is occurring with the design process, Welker-Fevold said, “We look forward to sharing renderings with the community soon. This type of project is only made possible thanks to donors. Thank you to every one of you that made this amazing project a reality!”

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MEDIA CONTACT

Lynn Welker, MMHC, ACHE
307-399-4145
lynn@welkerpr.com