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8-The Canadian Champion, Tueaday, July 22, 2003 www.kaensftowershop.cani 0Ç878281, ' .~ ~winpion Martindale Gardens assisted living facility -a miracle in the form of a building By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion It was a building that - accord- ing to common sense - would neyer become a reality. The mountains were jusi îoo high, and the valleys too low. To put it bluntly. the money wasn't there. But then Kari Reichert. chatr of Milton Mvillennium Comimunity Residences (MMCR), neyer wa', one to trust commun sense. Today. as Mr. Reicbert gazes at the nearly completed Mantindale Gardens assisted living facility on Martin Street, he looks upon what he sees as God's divine intervention and proof of the power of prayer- a miracle in the form of a building. He also sees the coming end of a joumey hes been on for the past seven years. ever sînce MMCR decided Milton needed an assisted liv- ing facility and embarked upon meeting that need. Mr. Reichert said the facility should be open by September. "We're pleased at how weIl il's cotning togeth- er," he said. 'Monday (yesterday) tbey'll start building the rof - finally!" About 64 reservations - mostly seniors have already been made for the 76-suite facility, although Mr. Reichert said some of those seniors might not opt to move in immediately. Su, be said, theres still about 25 spaces in the non-prof- il retirement/assisted living facility. The building will serve as a midpuint between independent living and long-term care facilities sucb as Allendale, Mr. Reicbert said. It will house seniors - and even some non-seniors who need some belp witb tasks like meal plan- ning and preparation, laundry and taking med- ication. It will also provide social interaction. The suites in the four-fluor facility will range from 327-square-féot studios to 731 square-fot two-bedroom suites. The cost to live at Martindale starts ut $2,100 per montb, but Mr. Reicbert said inancial assistance is available tu those wbo cant afford the rent. MMCR is an alI-volunteer, non-profit cbarity that started in 1996 witb the sole purpose of building Martindale. wbicb won't be operated for profit. Mr. Reicbert, wbo bas a background in engi- neering, said it was formned by a few peuple who realized that Milton had nu accommodation for peuple requiing assisted living cure. Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Martindale Gardens, currently under construction on Martin Street, s expected ta open this September. "Until it opens, peuple whu need (assisted liv- ing care) leave town and have to leave their faru- ilies and friends," he said. The juumey hasu't been an easy une. he said. From the beginning, things bavent gone exactly as anybody planned - even the weatber, with winters beluw-normal temperatures and springs large rainfaîl, delayed construction. But God intervened along the way, Mr. Reichiert said. The very purchase of the Manlin Street site is a bit of a miracle, he said. After it was sold te, MMCR. the vendor expressed surprise ut ever entering into the agreement, saying he neyer did develupinent with non-profit gruups. "'Mhat was une of the interventions.," Mr. Reicbert said. Then there were the vandals who seened tu gain pleasure froru creating bavoc. Wbat tu du about the obstacles'? Lots of prayer. "We open every construction meeting witb prayer. And evety time theres a probleru, we seeru tu get theru solved. Issues louk different after prayer." At une point, a number of problerus combined wiîb an unsuccessful fundraising drive caused the entire projeet tu become temporarily "stuck," Mr. Reichert said. Then a new construction firmn entered into the picture offering its help. and a new business plan was creaîed. Nexi, afier tuming down the MMCR, the bank decided to give the group a six-month extension deal. But that wasn't enough. "The six months ran out, and we were trying te, find the muney." Mr. Reichert said. Somehow, the six-montb extension becamne an 18 mionth extension, and last year. the facility's entire m(trtgage was paid off. "We did it." Mr. Reicbert exclaimed. adding, "Talk about spiritual intervention. This bas become a bit of a jouumey- theres been aIl the sturnbling blocks, but none uf theru have stupped us. It haso't ail cume together as humanly envi- sioned, but it bas in God's time and way." Miltonians have been generous, and prouf of that generosity is the $500.000 MMCR has cul- lected in donations or promises to donate to assist in the project and help out residents who cant quite afford the rent. H-lton Region gave the MMCR $168000 to be used specifically for that purpuse. Miltonians who are interesîed in moving into Martindale Gardens, or who know someone who wuuld benefit by living there should cal Donna Sakuta at (905) 693-8592. To resere a suite, a future resident can nsake a refundable deposit of $500). "We have in Milton peuple whu have lived here ail their lives- they necd tu corne forward and tell us tbey want tu live here," Mr. Reichert said. StepltuîeThie't'sstcn ct 1v' u'che/tcdai Keeping Norii Hafto turned j~ Programming Schedulie - Tuesday, JuIy 22nd - Monday, JuIy 28th, 2003 www.cogeco.ca 5, 6 & 7:3Opm Plugged In! 5, 6 & 7:3Opm Plugged tn! 5, 6 & 7:3Opm PlugdI! 1 m4m Fru rc hw5 :0mPugged n NRHHLO N1 Early Week Edition Early Week Editon Early Week Editon a4m Fru rc hw 6& Late Week Fdition 8:OOpm Halton Hils 8 Opm Milton Community 8:00pm Halton Region 8:OOpm Main Street - Laurier Plaza Counoil Fund CouncilRcwo 500 Laurier Avenue (JuIy 14) (Juy 7) (Juy 9) Milton, ON L9T 4R3 905-878-9306 r l Opcu f i s m 7 a