Molly PavlovichOn November 13, Messiah Lifeways celebrated a milestone moment for the organization—breaking ground on its new retirement community campus, Fernecrest.
“We stand here today laying the foundation for a place that will become home to so many; a place where people can move into their retirement years—living with purpose, enjoying an active lifestyle, and continuing to enrich our community with their wisdom, warmth, and stories,” Messiah Lifeways President & CEO Karl Brummer shared during the ceremony. “Fernecrest will be a modern expression of our mission to responsibly serve older adults with Christ-like love.”
Recognizing the evolution and enduring purpose of Messiah Lifeways’ mission—from its founding in 1896 to today—former presidents George Kibler and Emerson Lesher participated in the hammering of a nail that served as a symbolic representation of the pinning together of past and present.
The piece of wood, sourced from a barn on the farmland property, will be displayed on the finished Fernecrest campus.
“In connecting ‘the first and the last, the past and the present,’ we’re crafting a continuum—a journey that transcends time and generation, binding together our history and our future,” Brummer added before the official turning of dirt. “This is the legacy of Messiah Lifeways, an organization with roots that anchor us and aspirations that propel us.”
Messiah Lifeways Chief Experience Officer Alicia Titus also extended a heartfelt thank you to the partners whose guidance and support have brought them to this culminating point—Vice President of the Messiah Lifeways Board, Kyle Petty, and representatives from Benchmark Construction, RLPS Architects, and Garman Builders—all of whom were part of the turning of the dirt.
“We saw an opportunity to create a new chapter in the story of Messiah Lifeways, a story that will transcend time and generation, binding together our history and our future,” Titus said. “And, we’re making it a reality.”
Learn more about Fernecrest at Fernecrest.org.
