Bethany Home, a premiere religious-based retirement community in the Central Valley, celebrated the past, present and future on Wednesday.
This was all part of the 60th Anniversary / Birthday of Bethany Home: 60 years, stepping forward with Joy.
“Some look back on the year of 1963 as a year marked by tragedy (notably, President John F. Kennedy’s assassination) and yet, here in the town of Ripon, gathered a group of people committed to a dream of their own,” said Cindy Scheublein, executive director of Bethany Home since 2015.
That’s the same year in which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his inspirational speech: “I have a Dream.”
She addressed the gathering in front of the front of the Good Shepherd Mosaic for the special event, adding: “We are standing here today, celebrating their dream which came true – Bethany Home.”
The dream began in 1957 when Rev. John DeJong, who had just returned to Ripon, had the idea to build a home for the “aged and infirm.” He shared that vision with Andrew Douma and others in the community.
A year later, a group of supporters from the Reformed and Christian Reformed Churches eventually formed and incorporated Bethany Home of San Joaquin County.
The property on Main Street – the land had belonged to the family of Doug Van Dyken, Scheublein noted – was acquired in 1959. Construction of a 74-bed nursing home was made possible by the fundraising efforts of church members, who delivered on donations, pledges, and loans.
Bethany Home, at a cost of $300,000, opened its doors on Sept. 13, 1963, with Ida Schepel having the honor of being the first resident.
Located at 930 W. Main St., Bethany Home expanded over the years. The Garden Apartments (1968), the Manor Apartments (1979), the Adult Day Service program (1989), the Assisted Living facility (1990), Memory Care Homes (2000), Sunset Cottages (2001), the Town Square Cottages & Apartments (2007, 2008), and In-Home Care services (2011) were all part of the growth.
Coming soon is The Terraces at Bethany Home – a three-story, 104,700 square-foot building expansion – which is currently under construction and scheduled for completion in the coming year. Residents could be moving in by 2025.
Bethany Home has more than 400 residents, who according to Scheublein, are “former teachers, pastors, businessmen, craftsmen, housewives, farmers, professional people, and others from all walks of life.”
The 22-acre campus employs 203 “hard-working and dedicated individuals,” Scheublein said.
She indicated that the planning for this 60th Anniversary / Birthday was conducted over the past year, recognizing the committee consisting of Bethany Home board member Carol Slager (chairperson), board member Joan Weaver, retired board member Joni Fredriks, campus leader Lori Van Duyn, and Rob Wagner.
Slager, Van Duyn, Jeff Miller, Kelsi Schuller, and Chaplain Glen Shirk also participated in the anniversary / birthday program.
