Steve Harmic
Oct 20, 2022
Pictured at the Oct. 20, ribbon cutting for the Village of Hope are, left to right, Dallas Kephart, candidate for PA State Representative, 73rd District; Gary Lyons, chamber president and representative of Pennsylvania Grain Processing; Dave Glass, Clearfield County Commissioner; Russel Jackson, Boggs Township supervisor; Sheldon Graham III, Boggs Township supervisor; Kathy Gillespie, CCAAA CEO; John Sobel, Clearfield County Commissioner; Kevin Wain, CNB/Clearfield Chamber; Kim Bloom, Clearfield Chamber director; Andrea Schickling, representative for Senator Wayne Langerholc; Eric White, CNB Bank, and Wilson Fisher, Hess and Fisher Engineering.
WEST DECATUR, Pa. – Donors, local government leaders, and future residents of the Village of Hope celebrated independent living with a ribbon cutting for the first completed homes at the West Decatur, Boggs Township location on October 20.
“This occasion marks the first of about 50 homes at our Village of Hope that will be finished in this phase,” said Mature Resources Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging CEO Kathleen Gillespie. We will have an additional five homes completed by the end of this year, which will be filled by those on a waiting list as soon as they are finished. We will continue to keep that waiting list and meet the needs of our community as new homes are built. This interest shows how great the need is for affordable houseing in our area.”
Village of Hope is a subsidiary of Mature Resources Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging. It is an intentional and inclusive M.A.G.I.C. Community (multi-ability, multi-generational, inclusive, community) where individuals of all ages and abilities are welcomed and appreciated as unique and important to the overall functioning of the community. With income-based, state of the art housing available for people of all ages and abilities, the mission is to provide homes for people who may need some assistance as an alternative option to traditional assistive living or nursing home environments.
Vice Chairman of the board for the Mature Resources Clearfield County AAA Wilson Fisher said, “I’m absolutely delighted and pleased to see that we finally got to this point. We’ve been working on this project for a long time, and to see it come to this point is a delight for all of us. We believe the people residing here will be comfortable and happy, and find it easy to navigate this community. Our objective is to have individuals with diverse abilities to live together and help one another. These homes are laid out in a consistent pattern, making them easy to navigate, and fully accessible.”
The addition of a Village Hall will come in a future development phase. Central located, this facility will provide space for social gatherings, activities, and events such as concerts, BINGO, and more.
“The Village of Hope embraces individuality and creativity. That is why we believe that every individual should have the freedom and space to express themselves in a comfortable and inclusive environment, Gillespie explained. “This is an alternative to institutional lock-down environments, providing a far more open, fulfilling and, healthy life at a lower cost.”
Duplexes and single-family homes will both be available as the Village of Hope grows. For more information, visit www.mrvoh.life or call 814-765-2696.