Officials mark turning of soil for new hospital.
MISHAWAKA, February 3, 2006 -- The favored accessories of Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center's ground-breaking celebration included hard-hats and shovels while the guest of honor, a pile of dirt from the intended build site of Saint Joseph's new facility, sat just outside the Windsor Park Conference Center.
"It's official," said Nancy Hellyer, "the ground has been broken!"
As Saint Joseph's chief executive officer, Hellyer donned a white hard-hat before turning over the soil alongside members of the hospital's senior management on Tuesday evening.
"It's been a long time coming, but we're very pleased," said Hellyer as the evening's ceremony concluded with a firework display. "This is a great moment for us as we continue to improve the health of our community."
The celebration -- an opportunity to say thank you to the hospital's physicians, administrators, staff and community supporters -- follows Saint Joseph's announcement in December to build. The hospital's planned 633,000-square-foot facility will provide a diagnostic and treatment platform, 254 impatient beds and medical office buildings. The $355-million project will include 90 acres of the Edison Lakes Campus in Mishawaka.
The official groundbreaking and blessing ceremony for Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center's facility will take place on March 19.
Dr. Robert and Mary Beth Burke with Dr. Frederick and Jackie Scheel celebrate the upcoming addition to Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center.
Helping SJRMC CEO Nancy Hellyer, third from left, turn over soil are, from left, board members Bill Sexton, Sam Schlosser, George Cressy, Sister Agnes Anne Roberts, CSC; Sonny Wyland, and Dr. Bob Clemency.
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Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center CEO Nancy Hellyer is joined by Gary Perecko, left, president of SJRMC Mishawaka and South Bend, and Dr. Thomas Lavelle, SJRMC chief medical officer.
Dr. Mack H. Sullivan Jr. and Pamela Lightfoot Sullivan attend Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center's groundbreaking celebration on Tuesday night.
The Rev. Ken and Anne Mangelsdorf watch the fireworks display from outside the Windsor Park Conference Center in Mishawaka.
PHOTO CREDIT:
Amy Govert-Larson