Cover Update: A Busy Birthday

Cover Update: A Busy Birthday

The Pines of Sarasota turned 60 years old in 2007, one of several significant milestones at the nonprofit nursing home that runs a 204-bed campus a few miles from downtown Sarasota.

But, like many 60-year-old Gulf Coast residents, getting older has not translated into slowing down. Indeed, the Pines had one of its busiest years ever in 2007, culminating in a recent visit from Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who signed a birthday card for the facility and then, in a brief speech, spoke about the importance of making sure the elderly and frail are always cared for.

"This has been a year of a lot of things happening," says John Overton, the president and chief executive officer of the Pines. "We've been busy throughout the year."

Most of the activity took place after a grand opening celebration of a new facility for residents held in February. Some highlights include:

• Fundraising continued for the Pines' capital campaign, which is seeking $23 million to be used for a variety of construction and renovation projects. In addition to grand openings and birthday celebrations, the campaign has sponsored wine and cheese cocktail receptions as a way to introduce the facility to Sarasota residents who don't know about it.

The efforts are paying off: At the first wine reception, an anonymous first time Pines visitor pledged $100,000 to the campaign.

• Residents moved into the home's new $15 million, 122-bed skilled nursing center in March. The new facility includes a new and bigger therapy gym, as well as one of the area's only full-immersion hydrotherapy pools. About 80% of the home's resident's moved into the new building.

Other construction projects that began since March include a remodeling of a 24-bed building and a renovation of the facility's kitchen. Overton expects those projects to be completed by early next year.

• The facility introduced a series of long-term and elderly care classes through what it named the Pines Education Institute of Southwest Florida. In addition to providing training for its own employees, the program will offer classes to employees of any long-term care facility in the area.

• And, in conjunction with the Sarasota County School Board, the Pines opened its nationally-accredited childcare program to children with special needs, such as mild speech or learning difficulties. Five students, all four years old, enrolled in the program this year.

Crist visited the Pines Nov. 19. The planned visit was part of a larger 60th birthday celebration at the nursing home attendede by several other state and local politicians, as well as a few prominent Sarasota-area business leaders. Says Overton: "That was excellent visibility for us."

-Mark Gordon