LACROSSE — Locust Grove Village in La Crosse is celebrating 40 years of service. The public is invited to a Fall Festival from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, on the LGV campus.
Richard Barrows recalled the grassroots history of the organization, starting with the formation of Rush County Nursing Home Society in 1978. Barrows was an original incorporator and served as Chairman of the Board for 30 years until his retirement in 2008.
After Barrows bought the pharmacy in La Crosse in 1974, it didn’t take long for him to realize local residents were leaving town for long-term care. He and other concerned citizens sounded the alarm to find a solution.
“If the community had not come together back then, there would be no Locust Grove today,” Barrows said. “Sixteen Rush County residents joined forces to establish the Rush County Nursing Home Society. Each of the 16 donated $1,200 to start the non-profit entity. The sole purpose was to construct and equip a new nursing home.”
The first step was securing a certificate-of-need from the Kansas Department of Health.
“Our research indicated there were 108 people from Rush County who were living in facilities outside the county because of a shortage of beds,” said Barrows, who now lives in Leawood. “As soon as we had the certificate in hand, we hired an architect and brokerage firm to issue industrial revenue bonds to finance the project.”
Rush County residents were given first priority to purchase the approximately $1 million bonds.
Construction began in 1977 and local vendors and subcontractors supplied as many of the materials and supplies as possible. The Hays-based general contractor’s foreman, Larry Zimmerman, was a long-time Rush County resident. Zimmerman and his son-in-law, Norbert Moeder, oversaw every aspect of the construction.
The non-profit company Evangelical Good Samaritan was hired to manage the new facility.
Rush County Nursing Home was dedicated in March 1978 and two residents moved in immediately. One was Jerry Greenway, who had been waiting in a hospital room for the nursing-home doors to open; the other was Edna Young, who moved from a Great Bend facility to be closer to family.
Barrows acknowledged that some families hesitated to re-locate their loved ones who were content in their current locations. This resulted in slow growth and financial difficulties.
“However,” Barrows said, “in another display of local support, each of the 16 Society members personally signed a loan at a local bank for the $150,000 we needed. It took less than a year to fill all 60 beds and from that point on, the residence was full and had a waiting list until the early 2000s.”
After 15 years of operation, the facility was on solid financial ground and bonds were paid off five years early. New bonds were issued to build the independent-living apartments.
“The hospital and county commissioners were very generous in donating the piece of land between the nursing home and hospital for this project,” Barrows said. “While individual families have benefited from Locust Grove, the facility also has provided many jobs, which keep people in the community.”
The campus further expanded in 2014 with the addition of a 14-unit assisted living and administration center. During that expansion the public name was changed to Locust Grove Village – legally remaining the Rush County Nursing Home Society.
“LGV is the only full continuing care retirement community offering services including independent living apartments, assisted living, and the skilled nursing center within a wide county area,” notes Charlotte Rathke, administrator since 2004. The organization no longer is managed by an outside organization but continues to be governed by the local volunteer Board of Directors.
“We look with excitement to the future with a renewed commitment to provide a facility that meets the needs of our seniors. Plans are being formulated to upgrade and renovate the 40-year-old nursing home facility,” Rathke said.
