Below are LHS press releases with the most recent news listed first. Photos are available upon request.
Contact: Kari Bucher Expansion at Covenant Harbor Senior Community Now Open
TOLEDO, Ohio, March 9, 2010 – Construction is complete on the second phase of Lutheran Homes Society’s Covenant Harbor senior housing community in Oak Harbor, Ohio. Residents are moving in to the new independent living apartments designed for seniors age 62 years and older.
The 24 new apartments feature one bedroom, a full kitchen, bathroom and living room. All apartments are designed for aging in place and are wheelchair accessible. An on-site service coordinator is available to help residents find services that allow them to remain independent.
In addition to the apartments, the construction includes new office space, a beauty shop, a laundry room, a wellness center, and a spacious community room featuring a small kitchen for light food preparation and two adjacent patios for use in warmer weather.
“The residents moving in are very excited,” stated Sue Perrin, manager. “One gentleman who moved in had a daughter who really wanted him to live closer to her, but once she saw his apartment she was very happy he decided to live here.” The new construction at 240 Finke Road is connected to the original Covenant Harbor structure with an enclosed, heated corridor. Project financing came from a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant, with additional contributions by Lutheran Homes Society (LHS). A formal dedication of the facility will be held on Thursday, April 29, 2010.
Covenant Harbor has immediate openings for new residents. For more information on the apartments, to review the income restrictions, or to obtain a housing application, contact Sue Perrin at 419- 898-6460 or by e-mail at SPerrin@LHSOH.org. Tours of the facility are available by appointment.
Covenant Harbor is one of 12 senior housing communities managed by LHS Housing Services, a ministry of Lutheran Homes Society. LHS has been serving the needs of the elderly and youth since 1860. Today, more than 2,300 individuals located throughout northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan benefit from the Society’s residential and community services.
-30- Lutheran Homes Society Names New Executive Director for Lutheran Home at Napoleon
TOLEDO, Ohio, February 22, 2010 – Lutheran Homes Society (LHS) announces the appointment of Steve Dumke as Executive Director of Lutheran Home at Napoleon, a retirement community in Henry County consisting of independent living, assisted living and extended care options. For the last two years, Mr. Dumke has served as Executive Director at Lutheran Memorial Home, a LHS ministry located in Sandusky, Ohio. Steve began his career with LHS as Director of Human Resources at Lutheran Village at Wolf Creek in Holland, Ohio, and was then promoted to Assistant Administrator at that campus. As Executive Director, Mr. Dumke will be responsible for the ongoing operations, community relations, and business development of the Lutheran Home at Napoleon campus. The campus includes the 100-bed Lutheran Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 40 Alpine Village assisted living residences, and the expanding Bavarian Village of independent living apartments. “During his time at Lutheran Memorial Home, he led staff in achieving an amazing improvement in quality, resident satisfaction, and financial performance. Steve is a servant with a strong faith and, with the Lord’s guidance, he will bring the same dedication and leadership to the Napoleon campus that he has demonstrated at Lutheran Memorial Home,” stated David Roberts, President/CEO of Lutheran Homes Society.
Mr. Dumke is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA). He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University and received his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Toledo. He resides in Perrysburg, Ohio, with his wife, Jessica, and daughter, Anna. “I am pleased to join our ministry at the Napoleon campus, which includes a professional and dedicated staff, and a wonderful cadre of volunteers and donors who have made the Napoleon ministry a leader in long-term care services,” Mr. Dumke said. Community members, residents and families have the opportunity to stop in and meet Mr. Dumke on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, from 2-4 p.m. in the Home’s chapel. Lutheran Home at Napoleon is a ministry of Lutheran Homes Society. Since 1860, LHS has been serving the needs of the youth and elderly. Today, more than 2,200 individuals located throughout northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan benefit from the residential and community services offered by LHS. -30-
Communications Coordinator
Lutheran Homes Society
Telephone: 419-861-4970
E-mail: kbucher@LHSOH.org
LEED® Silver Recognizes Environmental Performance of
LHS School Building
OREGON, Ohio, October 19, 2009 – U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Ohio District 9, presented Lutheran Homes Society (LHS) with LEED® Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for its high performance, green school building at 40 S. Wheeling Street. The LHS building has been home to the Alternate Learning and Career Center-East since fall of 2008.
The building is the first school in Northwest Ohio to be LEED certified at any level. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council that is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance, green buildings.
In Ohio, the LHS building is only the second school to receive LEED Silver Certification and the first in the state to be designed by an Ohio architectural firm. The architect for the project was Buehrer Group Architecture & Engineering Inc. in Maumee, Ohio.
“Since LEED certification is the only green type of certification that requires third party verification, the building had to prove its green design with stringent record keeping and inspections and testing throughout the building process,” said Kent Buehrer, lead architect. “The synergy created in this type of process produces a building that is very livable, healthy, sustainable, and has less impact on the environment.”
To qualify for LEED certification, a concentrated effort was made during construction to save natural resources by using recycled materials and reusing available building materials. The primary way this was done was to carefully move a 1860s-era barn from the farm of the old LHS orphanage and make it into the school’s cafeteria.
The building also incorporates many energy-saving features: a closed loop electrical heat pump system with a cooling tower, motion and light sensing controls to reduce lighting energy loads, nearly twice the normal insulation in roofs and walls for commercial buildings, low flow fixtures, reduction in water usage by 40%, solar tube skylights, clearstory windows, and a decentralized heating system that allows for room-by-room temperature control.
The building is located on land from the old farm, which served as a learning center of life’s lessons for the orphans and continues to educate youth today. The Alternative Learning and Career Center-East is a collaboration between LHS Family & Youth Services, a LHS subsidiary ministry, and the Lucas County Educational Service Center. The school offers an educational program for Lucas County students with severe learning, behavioral, and/or mental health needs.
“The school is an outstanding example of what can be achieved through the collaboration of government, the private sector, and non-profit organizations,” stated David Roberts, LHS President/CEO. “It also shows our commitment to social accountability in that we are dedicated to serving the community, and in an even larger sense, that we are socially accountable to the environment in which we operate.”
Lutheran Homes Society has been serving the needs of the elderly and youth since 1860. Today, more than 2,300 individuals located throughout northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan benefit from the residential and community services offered by LHS.
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Construction Underway for Phase II at Senior Community in Oak Harbor
TOLEDO, Ohio, June 29, 2009 – Lutheran Homes Society (LHS) is building Phase II at the Covenant Harbor senior housing community in Oak Harbor, Ohio. When construction is complete, 24 new one-bedroom, independent living apartments will be available for low-income seniors age 62 and older.
The HUD-subsidized project is being constructed next to the 14 existing Covenant Harbor apartments, located at 234 Finke Road, that were completed in 2005. In addition to the apartments, construction includes new office space, a kitchen, and a community room, which will be available for use by area residents.
“The construction is scheduled to be complete near the end of 2009,” stated John Henry, Director of Facilities Development and Management. Currently, the building is partially under roof and the interior mechanical and electrical rough-ins are underway.
“The affordability; the socialization opportunities, especially during the long winter months; friendships made while living here; the benefits of an ADA compliant building and parking area; and the on-site service coordinator who helps residents find services that allow them to remain independent are all positive aspects about living at Covenant Harbor that residents share with me frequently,” said Sue Perrin, manager.
For more information on Covenant Harbor Phase II or to obtain an application, contact Sue Perrin, Covenant Harbor manager, at 419- 898-6460 or SPerrin@LHSOH.org.
Covenant Harbor is one of 13 senior housing communities managed by LHS Housing Services, a subsidiary ministry of Lutheran Homes Society. LHS has been serving the needs of the elderly and youth since 1860. Today, more than 2,300 individuals located throughout northwest
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Leaders from Lutheran Homes Society will be working with local residents, clergy, business people and government officials to develop a housing ministry in Van Wert. Progress made by this committee will determine when building will commence. The housing will be available to all interested senior citizens regardless of their religious beliefs, color, nationality or income level. It will not be limited to Lutherans only.
The proposed senior housing site is located on
The vision for the senior housing includes a campus of market-rate independent living cottages, affordable congregate care apartments, and a chapel/senior center. Future development also may include independent living rental apartments. -30-
State Sen. Teresa Fedor Visits Lutheran Homes Society
The tour provided Sen. Fedor with an opportunity to learn about the issues Lutheran Homes Society and its extended care residents are facing. During the tour conducted by Robert Dennie, Executive Director of Lutheran Home at
Sen. Fedor requested that Lutheran Homes Society provide her with a “white paper” providing statistic
LHS board member and former State Rep. Lynn Olman accompanied Sen. Fedor on the tour. Mr. Olman offered a unique perspective because he has served as a state representative and understands the issues faced by legislators. Additionally, as a board member of Lutheran Homes Society, Mr. Olman understands the issues encountered by skilled nursing facilities and their residents. Sen. Fedor was able to personally meet residents, staff, and volunteers and expressed a keen interest of elder/senior issues.
“Lutheran Homes Society appreciates that Senator Fedor took the time, during her busy schedule, to hear first-hand from residents the positive comments about the quality of care and wholeness of life they experience as residents of Lutheran Home at
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Lutheran Homes Society Dedicates
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Social Ministry Organizations, District and Synod Join in Partnership
TOLEDO, OHIO, November 7, 2008 – Representatives from the Northwest Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Ohio District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LC-MS), and social ministry organizations Filling Home of Mercy, Luther Home of Mercy, Lutheran Homes Society, and Lutheran Social Services, met this week to renew and sign a Ministry Partnership Covenant. The agency executives, staff and board members joined Ohio District President of the LC-MS Terry Cripe and Bishop of the NW Ohio Synod of the ELCA Marcus Lohrmann as they discussed the ministry done in northwestern
This covenant is consistent with “A Social Ministry Partnership,” a document of the Lutheran Services in America (LSA) that contains the guiding principles for affiliation with the
The leaders of the social ministry organizations and others from their staff and boards, shared planning, communication and development areas within their specific ministry. They reflected on implementation of their mission and their vision for the future for the ministry that is being done throughout northwest
Bishop Lohrmann stated that it is “good [for the church bodies and the social ministry organizations] to be in partnership and we cannot neglect emphasis on the stranger, alien, widow, orphan or poor.” He continued, “In Matthew 25, our Lord Jesus speaks about the way in which those who are connected to Christ are attentive to the ‘least of these.’ As we listen to leaders of organization give their reports, we learn just how much God is doing through these ministries. Often these ministries are reminders of those we need to be attentive to in our personal lives. We best embody Christ when we work together.”
President Cripe offered gratitude to the social ministry organization for their work on behalf of the church and commented that these organizations offer an answer to the question of “who is going to be the best reflection of Christ for me?” In quoting Martin Luther President Cripe said, “God does not want hearers and repeaters of words, but doers and followers who exercise that in the faith that works by love.” These agencies provide wonderful “gymnasiums in which to exercise,” President Cripe continued, “We are called to be a ‘mission support center’ and we want to be that for you.”
The Rev. Donald Wukotich, Executive Director of Luther Home of Mercy, expressed his appreciation “of the mutual nurturing of this event. Social ministry organizations understand how important it is to be the body of the church.”
David Roberts, President/CEO of Lutheran Homes Society, expressed gratitude on behalf of all the agencies that the church is active in the “social ministry aspect of the church through their partnership with and connection between the congregations and these social ministry organizations.” After the meeting, David Roberts commented that there is a “constant need to create an awareness of the continuing and increasing needs for the poor and disadvantaged.” At a time when the number of people needing services is increasing, Mr. Roberts indicated that the “struggle for all not-for-profit service agencies is the tension that exists: how do we increase services to the needy population recognizing that government funding is decreasing and unfunded regulatory mandates are increasing.”
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Lutheran Homes Society To Add Senior Apartments in Oak Harbor TOLEDO, Ohio, October 28, 2008 – Lutheran Homes Society (LHS) held a groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 24, 2008, for Covenant Harbor II, in Oak Harbor, Ohio. When completed, Covenant Harbor II will consist of 24 one-bedroom, independent living apartments for low-income elderly residents.
The HUD-subsidized project will be constructed adjacent to the 14 Covenant Harbor apartments completed in 2005. In addition to the resident apartments, the construction will include a community space available for a variety of uses.
“We are grateful for the collaborative efforts of all the partners who have joined together to make this building project a reality, so Lutheran Homes Society can continue to serve the Oak Harbor community,” commented David Schellhase, Executive Director of LHS Housing Services, a subsidiary ministry of Lutheran Homes Society that manages Covenant Harbor and 12 other senior housing communities.
LHS has been serving the needs of the elderly and youth since 1860. Today, more than 2,300 individuals located throughout northwest
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LHS Family & Youth Services Dedicates “Green”
The school building features “green” design and construction to reduce energy costs and save natural resources. “The school will be the first LEED*
The Alternate Learning and Career Center-East is a collaborative effort between LHS Family & Youth Services and the
The new school building incorporates several energy saving features. These features include a closed loop electrical heat pump system with a cooling tower, light sensing controls to reduce or increase artificial light as needed, nearly twice the normal insulations for commercial buildings, use of technologies to reduce waste, and a decentralized heating system that allows administrators to control temperature level on a room-to-room basis.
A concentrated effort was made during construction to save natural resources by using recycled materials and reusing available building materials. One way this was done, which also linked the new building with the history of Lutheran Homes Society, was to incorporate a barn built circa 1860. The barn, which was part of the old LHS orphanage, was moved from its original location and used in the new school as the cafeteria.
Since 1860, LHS has been caring for youth and this event celebrates another example of our efforts to collaborate with many different parties in order to make something special happen for our community and those we serve,” stated David Roberts, LHS President/CEO. “LHS believes that neither government nor organizations along can ‘do it all,’ rather it takes collaborations and partnerships.”
Mr. Roberts added, “In the case of our new school, we partnered with Lucas County Educational Service Center and Oregon City Schools, who exemplify leadership in the field of education; the city of Oregon, who assisted us in obtaining funding; and private companies that understand “green” and helped us incorporate that into the design and construction to save energy costs.”
Following the dedication ceremony, an open house was held with refreshments and tours of the new school. Four murals depicting life in the old orphanage were on display and will hang permanently in the cafeteria. The murals were created by students at the school, and the project was coordinated by Paula Nowicki, a local art teacher.
The seeds of LHS’ youth ministry in northwest
-30- *Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a rating system devised by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the environmental performance of a building and encourage market transformation toward sustainable design.
NAPOLEON,
The
Future plans for the Napoleon campus also include the development of five “Small Houses” built in an inviting, residential setting. Each would become home to10 nursing home residents and their skilled caregivers. The homes would contain private bedrooms with full baths, living room, dining room, kitchen, private sitting areas, and support spaces for residents.
In addition, planned renovations to the Lutheran Nursing and
Lutheran Home at Napoleon is a continuing care retirement community consisting of
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Guiding Hands will provide a variety of skilled nursing services including physician- prescribed medical treatments, medications set-up and reminders, and pre-filling syringes. The company also can provide home health aides to help residents with personal care such as bathing, feeding, and mobility. Fees vary depending on the required services. Guiding Hands, which has its main office in
“We facilitate the aging in place philosophy,” states registered nurse Patti Eyink, who owns and operates Guiding Hands with registered nurse Diane Stevenson. “This is their home. These services extend the time seniors can live independently.” “Our hope is that these services will help our aging residents stay safe and independent longer,” states Patty Sherer, manager of
LHS has been serving the needs of the elderly and youth since 1860. Today, more than 2,300 individuals located throughout northwest
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Congressman Bob Latta Spends Time with Kettle Run Residents BUCYRUS,
The purpose of the visit was to help Congressman Latta understand the issues elders are facing. Kettle Run is a HUD 202 facility that offers a low-cost rent for seniors 62 and older who have limited income. Residents were able to share with Congressman Latta their positive experiences living at Kettle Run, especially the advantages compared to their previous living arrangements.
Lutheran Homes Society staff also shared information with the Congressman concerning the need for more HUD housing, specifically the number of people locally, state-wide, and nationally who are waiting for this type of housing. Through the efforts of social service coordination, residents are able to maintain their independence in HUD housing, like Kettle Run, for a much longer period of time. This saves the state and federal government millions of tax dollars because seniors are not forced to prematurely require assisted living or long-term care.
“Lutheran Homes Society appreciates Congressman Latta’s visit to Bucyrus’ Kettle Run. His genuine concern for the elderly and the need for HUD 202 housing was clearly expressed to the residents, and we look forward to working with Mr. Latta as new legislation is proposed to provide for this critical need,” commented Lutheran Homes Society’s President/CEO David Roberts.
Lutheran Homes Society has been serving the needs of the elderly and youth since 1860. Today, more than 2,300 individuals located throughout northwest
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Lutheran Homes Society Receives Grant to Improve Care for the Elderly
HOLLAND, Ohio, March 18, 2008 -- Lutheran Homes Society (LHS) has received a $40,000 grant from the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation as part of the Aging in Community Initiative. The initiative is a collaborative, one-year project with Lutheran Services in America, Thrivent and 14 Lutheran social ministry organizations selected from around the United States.
The main goal of the Aging in Community Initiative is to develop new, hybrid models that improve in-home, non-medical care for aging individuals and support for in-home caregivers. This will be accomplished through a process of networking, shared learning, and the merging of best practices by the participating organizations.
Lutheran Homes Society has been selected to work on the in-home, non-medical care portion of the initiative. “This grant will enable us to learn how similar Lutheran organizations provide non-medical care to the elderly who still live independently,” asserts Deb Damschroder, Executive Director of LHS Community Services.
Besides the learning opportunity the initiative offers, Ms. Damschroder adds that the grant will allow LHS Community Services to serve more low-income seniors through its Lutheran Interfaith Network of Caring Services (LINCS) program. LINCS connects seniors in the community with the services they need to stay independent.
“We also will be developing a volunteer component to our LINCS program by partnering with area Lutheran congregations,” Ms. Damschroder asserts. This volunteer base will be available to assist seniors with matters such as grocery shopping and transportation to doctors’ appointments.
Lutheran Homes Society provides social service coordination at no charge to seniors in the
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State Sen. Mark Wagoner and State Rep. Barbara R. Sears Visit Lutheran Homes Society
The purpose of the visit was to learn about the issues Lutheran Homes Society and its extended care residents are facing. The legislators talked with residents and staff and learned about how Medicaid affects the lives of their constituency, specifically how the cost to cover care of residents is not fully covered under the current Medicaid system.
Sen. Wagoner requested that Lutheran Homes Society provide him with statistical data and other information relative to the Medicaid issue that will help them in their legislative duties. Rep. Barbara Sears commented to
Lutheran Homes Society (LHS) has been serving the needs of the elderly and youth since 1860. Today, more than 2,300 individuals located throughout northwest
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The new senior community consists of 40 one-bedroom units that are all
“We provides much more than a roof and shelter for seniors,” commented David Schellhase, Executive Directory of LHS Housing Services, a subsidiary ministry of Lutheran Homes Society that manages
“
LHS has been serving the needs of the elderly and youth since 1860. Today, more than 2,300 individuals located throughout northwest