Rotary Senior Living

Eagle Grove, Iowa

A History

http://rotaryseniorliving.com/about

 

On February 9, 1959, Rotarian Robert Blue, former Governor of Iowa, presented a program to the Eagle Grove Rotary Club on care of the aged.  He pointed out that Iowa had the largest percentage of citizens over 65 years of age in the nation.  He also stated how modern medical technology had increased the individual life expectancy approximately 20 years during the past half-century.

At the conclusion of his speech, Mr. Blue proposed that a Rotary Senior Living committee be appointed to study the feasibility of building a retirement home in Eagle Grove.  The committee was composed of Dr. Dale Harding, Robert Blue, Frank Sacquety, Roy Larson, Grigg Elkin, Dr. Martin Schaeferle, Dr. George Hogenson, Dr. Einar Johnson, M. B. Crabbe, Ronald Diggins and R. C. Allbaugh.

Rotary Ann Home opened June 1, 1962 with forty-two rooms and eight residents. This was a new concept in eldercare. Acceptance was slow with cash flow problems. Half the building was an infirmary, the other half a retirement home and apartments.

In 1968 the South Day Room was added and two years later the North Day Room was added. In 1982 a private donation allowed the addition of the chapel. Over the span of eight years, thirty-two low-income units were built. The Rotary Ann Group Home opened in June 1981 with twelve residents. The duplex townhouses were constructed in 1999. Each home featured two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a two-car garage.

The Board of Directors received word a year later that it was one of thirteen facilities across the country to receive a grant of $750,000 for renovation of its original building and converting it to Assisted Living.