Creighton Lodge has officially begun construction on a long-anticipated kitchen expansion, with work getting underway last week.
Once complete, the project will result in a new 2,000-square-foot kitchen and a renovated, larger dining room that will double the lodge’s meal service capacity.
The expansion also supports the lodge’s vision of launching an outreach meal program for seniors in the community.
“We have a waiting list right now — 240 people — and when people are calling and looking for rooms, one of the biggest reasons why people don't stay in their homes longer is the ability to eat nutritious meals and just have access to home-cooked meals,” said Manager Shelly Veroba.
The lodge plans to offer services such as freezer meals, hot meal pickups and the option for seniors to dine in. This builds on similar, smaller-scale services the lodge has provided over the years.
“We are already slowly starting that, as right now we have a couple of people who pick up their meals. We've done the freezer program in the past,” said Veroba. “We've been here 15 years now with the RM, and in those 15 years, we've had different people in the community reach out to us — whether it be a loved one that has cancer or a senior citizen who has broken something and can't cook for themselves — and we've provided those meals for them.
“We've also provided different services in the past where we've brought people meals who are on our list, ready to come in, but they just need that little bit to get them over the hump while they're waiting. So we've done a lot of different services in the past 15 years, and now it's just all kind of coming together.”
The total estimated cost of the expansion is approximately $1.5 million, which includes construction, equipment and taxes.
“Right now, we are looking at having a walk-in cooler, walk-in freezer and then we’ll have a dry storage area,” said Veroba.
Fundraising and donations have been strong, and the lodge is optimistic about closing the remaining funding gap through upcoming events and grants.
“We're a few hundred short of what we'll need, but we're confident that with our fundraiser and with our donations that have been coming in — we're also doing some different grant writing — that we will be able to make it to have all of the kitchen paid for at the end of it. So we're super excited about that.”
The project has been years in the making.
“We’ve been fundraising for about four and a half, five years now for this project,” she said. “It’s how we built our lounge expansion, when we completed that project in 2015. We’ve always put away for capital projects, and now this will be our biggest one to date.”
A major fundraising event is scheduled for April 26 at the Power Dodge Curling Rink. The evening will feature live music by The UnCoolas — performing a variety of music from the 1960s to present day — along with auctions and community support. Tickets are available by calling Veroba at 306-634-4154.
“We are just excited for the evening. We can't wait,” said Veroba.
The lodge has partnered with Lemon Wedge Marketing to run the event, and volunteers have played a key role in organizing. Support has also poured in from local businesses and families connected to the lodge.
“We have had such great support from the business community, from the families of the people that live in Creighton Lodge, and just everybody,” Veroba said. “Whether they donated, gave a silent or live auction item, or purchased tickets, we are so happy with the progress.”
The lodge extends its thanks to the community for the ongoing support, emphasizing the importance of ensuring local seniors have access to nutritious meals.