Senior Service Center Becoming a Reality

October 12, 2007: A leap of faith occurred on Thursday, October 11, when nearly 100 people gathered inside the empty D&W building on Seminole Road in Muskegon County. A special blessing and dedication service for the successful renovation of the facility known as Tanglewood Park, a beautiful community center dedicated to providing a comprehensive and coordinated system of services to promote healthy lifestyles and care choices for older adults, was held in cooperation with the project partners and community leaders. Completion of the project is slated for late summer 2008.

The dedication ceremony was led by Dee Scott, Executive Director of Senior Resources with special comments from Reed VanderSlik of Porter Hills Retirement Communities & Services; Mary Boyd from Mercy Health Partners; Larry Hines, President of the Hines Corporation, and concluded with prayers led by Rev. Melody Johnson, Rev. Peter Theune, and Rev. Jim Johnson. Attendees represented the staff, Boards and volunteers of the four Tanglewood Park partner agencies along with community leaders who have volunteered to champion the project.

By the summer of 2008, the Tanglewood Park project aims to house four senior-serving agencies under one roof, a beautiful café/coffee shop, a new ‘Meals on Wheels’ kitchen, and a variety of wellness and enrichment programs all to benefit mature adults. The name, Tanglewood Park, describes the building’s location at 560 Seminole Road, between Tanglewood and Park Streets in Norton Shores.

Half of the facility will house the new LifeCircles Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), a partnership between Porter Hills Retirement Communities & Services, Mercy Health Partners and Senior Resources. This adult day center will serve Medicare/Medicaid nursing home-eligible elderly from Muskegon County and Northern Ottawa County.

Senior Resources, Nutritional Services for Older Americans (Meals on Wheels), and the Community Access Line of the Lakeshore (CALL 2-1-1) will help create this one-stop shop for older adults by occupying the rest of the former D&W building. All four agencies serve multiple counties (Muskegon, Ottawa, and Oceana) and together serve over 1,800 mature adults and their families daily. “This facility will allow program and service expansion to meet the needs of the retiring ‘Baby Boomer’ generation—from the active retiree to the frail elderly and their caregivers,” said Dee Scott.

Larry Hines, President of the Hines Corporation, explained his passion to help create a multi-agency service and community center for older adults and their families. “I have agreed to assist in the capital fund drive for the Tanglewood Park project, because I am convinced it will improve the lifestyle of countless older citizens and serve all residents of Western Michigan for many years to come,” stated Hines.

“Many of these individuals are previous associates of a broad range of employers in the Western Michigan area. In turn, a significant number of our organizations have grown and prospered with the help and support of these older adults and their families. These seniors truly need our help and it’s time to invest in a facility that will serve this growing population,” said Hines.

Over 60% of the $4,985,000 needed to renovate the building has been committed through the quiet phase of the project. Mr. Hines now invites community leaders to join him in raising the balance, $2 million, to fund this important initiative. The Community Foundation for Muskegon County has endorsed the project and will serve as administrator for the Tanglewood Park Fund.