This sign marks the site of the future 24,000 square foot Jud C. Hickey Center for Alzheimer’s Care. (Photo by Josh Heath)
A generous donation by the Knox Foundation of four acres of land on Washington Road worth close to $1 million is helping to turn the Jud C. Hickey Center for Alzheimer’s Care’s goal of constructing a new 24,000 square foot facility into a reality, according to Jennifer Pennington, the center’s executive director.
“With this new center, we’ll be able to help more families facing this terrible disease,” says Pennington, who states that one in three seniors will die from Alzheimer’s Disease, and by 2050, one-third of all Medicare dollars spent will go towards treating the progressive illness.
“My mother-in-law went to the Hickey center when she was first diagnosed,” said Renee Nae via Facebook. She was struggling with her diagnosis so they had her think she was there to help teach exercise classes (she was a 37 year retired PE teacher). I drove her there many times. They did tremendous things for her and helped us have her a little longer. They are phenomenal!!”.
The center held a land dedication ceremony at the site on April 22 and hopes to have the new building constructed by next summer. https://augustabusinessdaily.com/foundation-and-local-firms-help-launch-new-center-for-alzheimers-care/
But there’s still more money needed to complete the project. She says the capital campaign for the new building, which will be located between the Woodbine West neighborhood and the Advent Lutheran Church, is for $6.7 million, but they’ve already raised about 73% of that amount.
