Donors were thrilled to be given a tour of the newly completed wing at Valley Lodge during the Vermilion and District Housing Foundation’s (VDHF) Appreciation Event on June 21. Gleaming with excitement, a few residents joined in the fun viewing their possible prospective rooms as Capital Campaign members led tours describing the new amenities and features. The VDHF began their Living Well Modernization Project fundraiser in March of 2017 with the goal of raising $1.5 million to improve area seniors housing. With the oldest wings built in 1960, and rooms ranging from 150 – 280 square feet in size, they no longer fit the Alberta Government’s standards for senior access. With phase one complete, staff and residents will benefit from additional space in the kitchen and 350 square foot rooms (with each room including a small kitchenette and walk-in shower). The new wing also included a dining room, living room, and a home care office which has been a long-awaited space in the community. Capital Campaign members were overwhelmed with the generosity of individuals, families, service groups and the surrounding business community, and surpassed their goal with a grand total of $1,586,363 raised. “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You will see how comfortable our residents are going to be with each room and additional social spaces,” said Sheri Heller, VDHF’s CAO. “You stepped up so much for our seniors. When facing our goal, we thought it was a daunting task - but not in Vermilion. We all did it; surpassing our goal,” said Brenda Lee, Capital Campaign Chair. For more information, you can visit https://www.vdhf.ca/.