Three generations of Deiberts were in attendance at the St. Mary's Villa Foundations Build a Home walk in Humboldt on Sunday. Pictured: Ken, Derek, and Laura Deibert walked along mother Alma's wheelchair as Josh took his grandmother for the one kilometre spin. (submitted photo/Becky Zimmer)

By Becky Zimmer

Stroll for a home

Neighbourhood walk raises money for new St. Mary’s Villa building

Jun 12, 2023 | 8:48 AM

Residents of Humboldt’s long term care home and members of the community were out for an important stroll on Sunday.

The St. Mary’s Villa Foundation’s Build a Home Walk saw a number of walkers and runners tackle the one, three, and five kilometres runs around the Villa’s neighbourhood on the northwest side of the city. All proceeds from that and a burger sale are going to a new Villa building, which executive director, Donna Muench, said is desperately needed in the community.

“As of this month (the building) is 60 years old, and we knew we needed a new facility. So they (the foundation board) said, let’s be proactive. Let’s start because, unfortunately, raising funds for long term care is difficult.”

Many of those in attendance at the walk have a family member currently living in the facility.

Derek Deibert and his family came to roll resident, Alma Deibert, around for the one-kilometre stretch with his son, Josh, taking the wheel of his grandmother’s wheelchair.

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It’s a luxury to watch your parents get old, he said, and 86-year-old, Alma, is living in her own community at a facility she likes with great staff.

Even after living in Edmonton for the last 35 years, Derek told northeastNOW he still feels the ties to Humboldt and he’d still be supporting the Villa’s new building, even if his mom wasn’t living in the facility, and he hopes other people do the same.

“I think seniors are probably the most important and probably the most forgotten about people in the population. They spend their whole lives looking after us, we got to look after them.”

While an official announcement has yet to be made, Muench said she is expecting an announcement from the Saskatchewan government next year, with hopes of the project being completed in the next five to 10 years. The sooner the better given the deteriorating state of the current building, said Muench.

The 85-bed facility has seen entire wings closed just to have residents be put back in due to the need for the space and residents being housed in areas that are not appropriate for their higher level of care.

Beyond the challenges, Muench said they have amazing staff that are keeping the facility running as smoothly as possible.

Even now, 85 beds is not enough for the Humboldt area, said Muench, so she hopes a new building will also mean an increase in beds.

“We have residents that are being sent an hour and a half away from where their family is and where they lived, because there’s not enough room here. And it shouldn’t be that way. They should be able to stay in their community.”

Cost of a new building, depending on the number of beds announced, could range from $45 to $100 million with the community needing to raise 20 per cent.

The foundation started fundraising back in 2018 but it is going to take some time, said Muench. With all the challenges ahead, she would like to see some changes being made to how people see long term care facilities and the state of giving to projects like the Villa’s new building. While these are the homes of current residents, this new building will be the future home for many in the Humboldt and area.

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becky.zimmer@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @bex_zim