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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Bethesda
Lutheran Home
Bethesda
Lutheran Communities
Founded
1903
[Editor’s
Note. The chapter contains
references to Bethesda residents
at the time. They are neither appropriate nor acceptable.]
[e.g., Home for Feeble Minded and
Epileptic Children]
Bethesda
Lutheran Homes and Services, Inc. has always taken pride in being a leader and
pioneer in the services and supports offered to individuals with developmental
disabilities throughout the country and throughout the world.
1903
PROMISE
OF 20 ACRES
MARGARET
STREET LOCATION (FAITH HOME OR HOUSE)
The Bethesda
Lutheran Home was an outgrowth of the charitable works of the Lutheran-related
Children's Friend of Kindefreund Societies.
The group chose Watertown for the site of the home because of a promise
of 20 acres of free land at the
southwestern edge of town. However, the
first home for Bethesda was at rented quarters at 222-226 Margaret St. [Faith House]. The home was located here between 1903 and 1906.
The
establishment of the Bethesda Lutheran Home at Watertown was a significant
event for the community. While the 20
acres of free land probably helped sway the decision to locate the home at
Watertown, the fact that there was a considerable German settlement there and a
significant group of Lutherans was probably also a factor in the decision. The Bethesda Home represents the efforts of
the private sector to provide facilities for the poor and disadvantaged,
facilities that augment state-run institutions in Wisconsin.
07 14 OFFER
OF FREE LAND ACCEPTED
A home for feeble-minded and epileptic children will be built in
Watertown during the ensuing year under the auspices of a corporation formed at
yesterday’s session of the Lutheran Children’s Friend convention. Twenty acres of land have been offered by the
two Lutheran congregations at that place, and accepted. A similar offer of one acre at Saginaw,
Mich., was declined. The following were
selected for the officers of the convention:
President, The Rev. H. Meyer, of St. Paul; vice-president, The Rev. H.
Speckhard, Saginaw, Mich., secretary, The Rev. F. H. Eggers, Watertown, Wis.,
treasurer, Leonard Schempf, Watertown, Wis.
The following
were selected as incorporators of the society, to take charge of the home: The Rev. A. F. Ruben August Kelling, and W.
H. Graebner. The next convention will be
held in Watertown. [Milwaukee Evening Wisconsin]
1904
In
1904, when there were few places available for people with developmental
disabilities to turn, a group of forward-thinking Christians opened Bethesda as
a place where individuals could turn for Christ-centered services and supports
in a world where they were already shunned or forgotten.
04 13 FAITH HOUSE OPENED
On
April 13, 1904, Bethesda opened its doors in a rented building on Margaret
Street and was called The Faith House. There were five clients and eight staff
members. The Faith Home was unable to
renew its lease and moved to Milwaukee for three years. In 1909, the facility moved back to Watertown
and relocated to new quarters constructed on 40 acres of donated land. It offered jobs and training to the people
they supported. Some early jobs included
basket weaving and rug making. When more
land was added the facility began farming and raising their own food [the name Bethesda did not appear until 1924].
1905
02 23 After considerable
discussion the assembly (Madison) today ordered two engrossments of the Racek
bill exempting forty acres of land belonging to the Evangelical Lutheran home
for Feeble Minded at Watertown from taxation. The authorities of the home, which
has been conducted in rented premises for several years, have purchased a tract
of land near the outskirts of Watertown and are now engaged in raising money
with which to erect the necessary buildings for the institution. The bill was opposed on the grounds that it
might open the door to abuses by enabling asylums and sanitariums conducted for
private gain to escape taxation.
06 04 W. K. Weissvrodt,
superintendent of the Lutheran Home for Feeble-Minded and Epileptics, left
Monday for Vineland, New Jersey, where he will attend a meeting of the
Association of Officers of American Institutions for Idiotic and
Feeble-Minded-Persons. On his return he
will stop at Elwayn, Pa., Polk, Pa., Columbus, Ohio, and Fort Wayne, Ind., to
inspect the homes there and secure ideas as to the best plans for the proposed
home to be built at Watertown. He will arrive here June 9.
07 14 We are informed, that the
trees on the beautiful grounds where the exercises of the Ev. Luth. Home for
the Feeble Minded were held Sunday, are to be cut down and the land platted
into residence lots. It is a shame. The land should be purchased by the city and
converted into a park. There are only
two small parks in the city, which are all out of proportion to its population
and prospective growth. It is a matter that should receive the attention of the
mayor and common council at its regular meeting.
11 08 Last Friday the board of
Lutheran Home for Feeble Minded and Epileptic met at St. Mark's Church . . . W.
K. Weissbrogt, Supt. of the Home, reported 40 inmates at present and that 6
more were admitted. This is the capacity of the Home so at present applicants
for admission must wait until vacancies occur.
The large number of school classes makes it necessary to give Supt.
Weissbrogt assistance in the shape of a second assistant which will be engaged
as soon as a suitable person is found.
The school is progressing nicely, and at present preparing a program for
a Christmas service which will take place in one of the Lutheran churches on
Second Christmas Day eve.
12 22
CHRISTMAS AT THE LUTHERAN HOME
FOR FEEBLE MINDED AND EPILEPTICS
The children will have a Christmas tree
at the Home, and receive their presents early on the first Christmas Day. On account of lack of room this affair must
be of a private character.
But to give all friends of the
institution a chance to celebrate with us, arrangements have been made to
render a Xmas program at St. John's Lutheran Church. Corner N. Fifth and Cady streets. This children's service will be held December
26, 7:15 p.m.
12 26 The entertainment given last
evening at St. John's Lutheran Church by
children from the Home of the Feeble-Minded was marvelous in the extreme. It demonstrated that wonderful mental
improvement was being accomplished with the feeble-minded children at the Home
and also proves the value of its work.
Thirty-five
of the children were present at the exercises which were deeply interesting and
if anyone was skeptical when they went they were convinced when the exercises
were over that the mental and physical condition of the unfortunate was being
greatly improved. The church was packed
from vestibule to altar and the galleries were crowded with interested people
and many were unable to gain admission.
Prof.
Schumacher presided at the organ and Rev. H. Eggers had charge of the liturgy
and Rev. J. Klingmann delivered an address in which he spoke feelingly of the
work being done in behalf of the children — the efforts to bring them to the
Savior, that they might know and love him.
"As ye did it unto the least of these, ye did it unto
me." The answers of the children
were clear and distinct and the singing especially fine, a beautiful Christmas
tree was put up by a committee of St. John's congregation upon which, there was
a box of candy contributed by Mrs. Lewis Junior. The collection taken up for the benefit of
the home amounted to $70.
1906
02 26 GOOD-BYE,
NOT FAREWELL
Early Bethesda institution left Watertown in 1906, returned in 1909.
Prof.
and Mrs. W. K. Weissbrodt, superintendent and matron of the home for feeble
minded and epileptic children and Prof. and Mrs. E. M. Kirch, teachers in the
institution, leave today for Milwaukee, to which city their household goods
were shipped yesterday, where they will get things in readiness for the coming
of the children, who are in the care of attendants and domiciled in the old
church formerly occupied by Rev. Klingman and congregation, the congregations
of both St. Marks and St. Johns churches having provided the necessary bedding
and furniture for their comfort while they remain.
Prof. and
Mrs. Weissbrodt appreciate to the greatest extent the kindness of the good
people of Watertown and deprecate the necessity that occasions their departure
for a time from the city and will be pleased when circumstances will admit of
their return and the Home becomes a permanent fixture in Watertown — and the
[Watertown] Republican voices the
sentiments of the people here when regret is expressed for their departure even
for a time, and all will be glad when they return to continue their work of
sacrifice and love for the unfortunate children. WR
1908
01 15 Milwaukee
News: Plans have been prepared for a home
for feeble minded and epileptics, in Watertown, Wis., and when the building is
completed, the temporary home at 1380 Humboldt Avenue, this city [Milwaukee],
will remove to the new quarters. It is
estimated that the building, which will be of solid brick, three stories high,
will cost $25,000, and will furnish accommodations for sixty inmates. There are thirty-nine children in the present
home, with a waiting list of 175 now on hand. In view of these conditions the
plans for the new building have been prepared with a view to the enlargement
without defacing the architecture, from time to time, as the finances will
permit. The home is supported by the
synodical conference, and a site for the building embracing forty acres of land
with the corporate limits of the city of Watertown has been donated by the
congregations, in the synod, independent, of the synod itself. WG
09 11 On Lutheran Feeble-Minded Home site purchased last year in this
city, it was decided to begin work on the building this fall. Cost of the home will be about $30,000. WG
10 02 F. J. Winker, who
purchased the "Faith Home" in the Fifth ward last week at sheriff’s
sale for $1675.50, has had an offer for it at a considerable advantage. WG
10 16 Site
for new home visited; site for building staked out WG
1909
When
their lease on this location [Margaret St assumed] expired, the group moved the
home to Milwaukee until 1909, when they returned to Watertown and built on the
land originally promised to them. The
home also acquired an additional 80 acres of land at that time. Between 1909 and 1936, the home grew in
buildings and acres. Eventually the home
had several utility buildings, a main building, dormitory, industrial building,
isolation hospital, and chapel as part of its campus. Between 1936 and c.1985, all historic
buildings on the site were demolished and replaced with large brick and
concrete modern institutional buildings.
Only the chapel, which is attached to one of the modern buildings
remains relatively intact. The chapel at
the Bethesda Lutheran Home has some local historical interest as the only
remaining historic building on the grounds of the home.
02 26 HOME
FOR FEEBLE-MINDED
At a
meeting of the trustees of the Lutheran Home for the Feebleminded and
Epileptics held in Milwaukee last night relative to the building of the home in
Watertown, it was decided to open the bids of the contractors, from which plans
and specifications have been submitted, on Monday, March 1, at 6 o’clock p.m.
in the office of Architect H. W. Buemming, 521 Jackson Street, Milwaukee, and
all proposals must be sent to the architect in Milwaukee. Plans and specifications for the proposed new
building are also on file in the office of the William Gorder company in Main
Street. It is proposed to begin work on
the home as early in the spring as possible and have the building ready for
occupancy by the autumn of 1909. Messrs.
William Gorder, F. W. Gamm and Albert Wegemann, trustees of the home here,
attended a meeting of the trustees in Milwaukee last night. WL
05 23 HOME
FOR FEEBLEMINDED FESTIVAL
Though the weather was anything but desirable last
Sunday, the annual festival of the Lutheran Home for Feeble Minded in this city
was a great success. Large delegations
were in the city from nearby towns and about 600 came on the trolley from
Milwaukee. Dinner was served in the
basement of the Home at noon. The
handwork of the children was exhibited in one of the rooms and was offered for
sale and found ready buyers. Everyone
who visited the building was highly pleased with the good management so manifest
on all sides and of the evidence that these poor unfortunate children were
being well cared for. Following was the
program . . . WG
03
26 BIDS
FOR NEW LUTHERAN HOME FOR FEEBLE MINDED
The
committee having in charge the building of the new Lutheran Home for Feeble
Minded in this city, consisting of Herman Tetzlaff, Albert Wegemann and Leonard
Schempf, have opened the bids and report the following, the lowest bidders and
contracts will be drawn up accordingly:
S.
Schmidt, mason work, $9537
A.
Bartelt, lathing and plaster, 3118
C. A.
Kleppe, carpenter work, 11886
Andrae
& Co., wiring, 431
O.
Biefeld & Co., iron work, 785
O.
Biefeld & Co., heating, 2855
O.
Biefeld & Co., plumbing, 4558
Grossert
& Kuehn, tin work, 780
W. C. Raue & Sons,
painting, 965 WG
07 02 Lutheran
Home Corner Stone Laid
A
large number of people attended the laying of the corner stone of the Home for
Feeble Minded [Bethesda] now being built in the southeastern part of the third
ward, on what is known as “Boomer’s Pasture.”
In the corner stone were placed copies of the local newspapers, the
names of the president of the United States, of the governor of Wisconsin and
the mayor of Watertown, with a brief history of the erection of the home and
the movement for the establishing of it.
Rev
F. H. Eggers, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church,
officiated. The English address was
delivered by Rev. O. Hagerdorn of Milwaukee, and Rev. J. T. Boeger of Racine
spoke in German. W. K. Weissbrodt,
superintendent of the Feeble Minded Home in Milwaukee, read the history of the
home since it was established. St.
John’s church band and the mixed choir of St. Mark’s
Church furnished music for the occasion.
The corner stone is a plain block of sandstone and on its face is
inscribed “A. D. 1909.”
The
building will be a three-story brick and basement, the main building 48x87,
with two wings 35x74 feet and 28x74 feet.
Alderman Charles Huenefeld of Watertown has the carpenter contract and
Henry Schmidt of Milwaukee the contract for the mason work. Otto Biefeld
& Co. has the plumbing contract and Grossert & Kuehn the sheet
metal work. The building will be steam
heated, electric lighted and contain everything modern. It is admirably situated on the west bank of
Rock River and will be a very pleasant home for the feeble minded people to be
housed in. It will accommodate about 80
pupils and the superintendent and family.
The contract calls for it being finished by October 15. WG
[Watertown
News, 07 02 1909 ] The corner stone is a plain block of sandstone on which
is simply inscribed “A. D. 1909.” The
building is of brick, three stories high and basement. It will be heated with steam and have all
modern conveniences. The water supply
will come from an artesian well and will be patterned after the Kewaunee system
where the supply is forced by air pressure to the different parts of the
building. It will be electric lighted
throughout and has its own sewer system.
The main building faces the east; its dimensions are 87x48 feet; there
is also a large wing 74x35 feet and an additional wing 37x28 feet. The boiler room is 21x35 feet.
The superintendent of construction is August Kelling of
Milwaukee. The contract for the mason
work is being done by Henry Schmidt of Milwaukee, while C. Huenefeld of
Watertown has the contract for the carpenter work. The heating and plumbing
will be done by Otto Biefeld & Company of Watertown and Grossert &
Kuehn of this city has the contract for the sheet metal work.
The
building is delightfully situated on the brow of a hill overlooking Rock river
to the east and it commands a fine view of the entire country in all
directions, a really ideal location for an institution of this character. To the west is a view of the sloping hills
and fertile fields, to the south the wooded slopes and verdant fields and to
the north and east the spires and tops of a thriving city, while below to the
east rolls the placid Rock on its way to the sea.
It
is expected that the building will be ready for occupancy about October 15 and
when completed there will be room for eighty pupils besides the
superintendent’s family and attendants.
When the landscaping work is finished it will be one of the most
pleasant places within the confines of Watertown.
The
home has been constructed with a view to the future so that additions can be
made thereto. The demands made upon the
institution at present far exceeds the room available, but they will be
attended to as the finances permit.
W. K. Weissbrodt of Milwaukee will be the superintendent. He has had charge of the institution both
here and in Milwaukee and is well known in Watertown and admittedly a man who
thoroughly understands this branch of work.
The Home is recognized by both Lutheran synods and will eventually house
children from all parts of the United States.
1910
02 25 SAYS
RESIGNATION WAS VOLUNTARY
“The
rumor that the board of managers asked me to resign from my position as manager
of the Evangelical Lutheran Home for Feeble-Minded Children at Watertown is
entirely without foundation,” said William K. Weissbrodt, manager, when called
on the telephone yesterday as to a report that he resigned.
“I
left my Milwaukee home at 1308 Humboldt Avenue three months ago to go to
Watertown, when the institution of which I am manager was moved here
[Watertown]. I understood that certain members of the board thought that I did
not manage the finances of the home to the best advantage, but the board as a
whole was not dissatisfied. If there is
any extenuation needed for the fact that I did not do all that I should have
liked to accomplish in connection with the management of the home, I believe it
is furnished in the fact that I was shorthanded and was doing the work of two
men. I intend to go back to Milwaukee
and shall go into the public schools as a teacher again. The board and I are parting the best of
friends.” — Milwaukee Free Press / WG
05 09 WDTimes
Lutheran
Home Dedicated Sunday
Vast Assemblage Witness
the Ceremonies in the Morning and Afternoon
MUSICAL SOCIETIES TAKE
PART
New Home For Feebleminded
Children Formally
Dedicated With Appropriate
Exercises
Many Ministers Present
The
new Lutheran Home for Feeble Minded Children recently constructed in the Third
ward, was formally dedicated with appropriate services Sunday. The
program included services in the morning and afternoon, as a vast assemblage
was present on both occasions, several hundred people coming from Milwaukee in
the morning. Excellent arrangements had been made to look after the
comfort of the visitors and the wants of the inner man were supplied on the
grounds, dinner being served for all who desired to partake.
The Northwestern
University band and the mixed choir of St. Mark's and St. John's churches,
together with a choir from Milwaukee, assisted in the program. The morning services were conducted by the
Rev. C. Gausewitz of Milwaukee and were in German. In the afternoon the
Rev. W. Uffenbeck of Portage conducted the services and the English address was
delivered by the Rev. H. Fredrich of Hellenville. The ceremonies were
very impressive, the large audience at times joining in the hymns. The
following program was carried out:
|
Morning |
|
|
Music |
N. W. U.
Band |
|
Hymn |
Choir |
|
Hymn |
Congregation |
|
Dedicatory
services |
|
|
Sermon |
Rev. C.
Gausewitz |
|
Hymn |
Choir |
|
Hymn |
The
Children |
|
Hymn |
Congregation |
|
Benediction |
|
|
Hymn |
Congregation |
|
Afternoon |
|
|
Music |
N. W. U.
Band |
|
Hymn |
Choir |
|
Hymn |
Congregation |
|
Sermon |
Rev. W.
Uffenbeck |
|
Hymn |
Choir |
|
Sermon |
Rev E.
Fredrich |
|
Hymn |
Choir |
|
Hymn |
Congregation |
|
Benediction |
|
|
Hymn |
Congregation |
The cornerstone
of the building was laid with impressive services on
1910
10 21 BOOMER'S WOODS
The trustees of the
Lutheran Home for the Feeble Minded have purchased of Chas. A. Vaughan,
Boomer's woods, south of the home in the 3rd ward. The tract contains 80 acres of fine land and
is a valuable acquisition to the property now used in connection with this
home. WG
10 28 A number of Wisconsin
charitable and educational institutions are beneficiaries under the will of
Mrs. Augusta Vogel of Milwaukee, which was filed last week, disposing of an
estate of $100,000 personal and $15,000 real property. The Evangelical Lutheran Home for the
Feebleminded, Watertown, is given $5000, Lutheran Altenheim Society $2000,
Milwaukee Protestant Home for the Aged $2000, Northwestern University,
Watertown, Milwaukee Protestant Orphan Asylum and the Children's Free Hospital,
$500 each. WG
12 09 On Tuesday the state
board of control was in the city and inspected a site in the northwestern part
of the city for a home for feebleminded.
They were here on invitation of the Watertown Advancement Association. The members of the board here were: W. H.
Graebner of Milwaukee, president of the board; Judge Cowie of Whitehall, Dr. A.
J. Frisby of Milwaukee, and A. D. Conover of Madison. WG
1911
05 11 FESTIVAL AT FEEBLEMINDED HOME
The
annual festival of the dedication of the Lutheran Home for Feebleminded will
take place at the home in the southwestern part of this city. There will be religious services in the
forenoon at 10:30 and in the afternoon at 2:30.
The Revs. Chr. Sauer of Juneau, J. F. Gericke of Lebanon and H. G.
Moussa of Jefferson will be the speakers.
Rev. Moussa, former professor and athletic director of Northwestern
College, will address the assemblage in the English language. The mixed choirs of St. John's and St Mark's
churches of this city and St. Stephen's Church of Milwaukee will
participate. The N. W. C. band will
furnish the music. Dinner and supper
will be served at the home. All friends
of the children and of the institution are cordially invited to attend. WG
Contracts for a new $20,000 addition to
the Lutheran Home for Feeble-Minded has been let by the directors, following
being the bids for the various parts of the work:
Henry Willenbockel
& Son, carpenter work, $6848.
Mallow & Kaddatz, mason work, $6900.
Max W. Voigt, tin and galvanized iron
work, $356.
Scheblak & Herzog, painting and
glazing, $898.
Herman Andrae Electrical Co.,
Milwaukee, electric wiring, $250.
Otto Biefeld & Co. plumbing,
$1575.
Otto Biefeld & Co., heating, $1281.
Dornfeld-Kunert Co., ironwork,
$980.
The addition will cost over
$20,000. The excavating has been started
and the building will be completed by October 15. WG
08 01 LUTHERAN
CONVENTION
On Tuesday and Wednesday about 40
delegates of Lutheran charitable institutions in America held a convention at
the feeble-minded home [Bethesda] in this city, matters pertaining to homes for
feeble-minded, hospitals, schools for deaf mutes, etc., being discussed. WG
1913
10 02 PRINGEL
BIRTHDAY PARTY
Monday
evening a number of friends of Director Louis Pringel of the Lutheran Home for
Feeble Minded tendered him a surprise birthday party at his new home on the
grounds of the above named home. A
pleasant evening was passed and a splendid supper served. Present were:
Rev. and Mrs. Julius Klingman, Prof. and Mrs. William Huth, Prof. and
Mrs. J. M. Schiefer, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Tetzlaff, Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Gamm,
Mr. and Mrs. William Gorder, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. William Kohls. WG
1914
02 05 STATE
HOME FOR FEEBLE MINDED
On Tuesday W. H. Woodard, C. A. Kading,
Fred A. Hoffmann and Herman Werthheimer visited Madison and had a conference
with the State Board of Control regarding the locating of the new state home
for feebleminded in Watertown.
Unofficially the state board say they favor Watertown, but object to the
price asked for some of the land here, saying all they are inclined to pay is
$150 per acre. The prices asked for the
pieces of land desired by the state board per acre are as follows:
Joseph Brooks, 235
acres.............$140
Hartwig Estate, 231 acres.............
140
Arthur Koenig, 89 1/2 acres..........
165
William Cody, 131 acres....... ..... 225 WG
09 03 Ladies
of the Milwaukee Aid Societies
Thursday of last week the directors of
the Lutheran Home for Feeble-Minded entertained about 150 ladies of the
Milwaukee aid societies of the various Lutheran congregations of that
city. They came here for the purpose of
ascertaining what the home needs in order to intelligently assign the work to
their different societies. Dinner and
supper were served to them at the home, and after attending to the business
part of their visit, passed a very social time together. WG
11 19 Donation
Week
Thanksgiving week has been set as the
annual donation week for local friends of the Lutheran Home for
Feebleminded. Gifts of money and
eatables, including canned goods, vegetables, fruits and poultry will be sent
to the home. An arrangement convenient
to prospective donors has been agreed upon.
Gifts may be left at any store in the city and they will be gathered up
as notices reach the home. Already many
gifts of fruits and vegetables are being received. WG
1915
02 11 Directors
and Officers of Feeble Minded Home Re-Elected.
At a meeting of the society at St.
John’s church Tuesday, four members of the board of directors of the Lutheran
Home for Feebleminded were elected.
Gustav Riedel of Milwaukee and Prof. William Huth and Herman Tetzlaff of
this city were re-elected, and the vacancy caused by the resignation of William
Stark was filled by the election of Carl Block to fill the unexpired term.
The board then met and re-elected the
following officers:
President — Herman Tetzlaff.
Vice President — William Gorder.
Secretary — Prof. William Huth.
Financial Secretary — Gustav Riedel.
Treasurer — Fred Gamm.
The house committee for the following
year will be composed of the following members of the board: William Gorder, William Kohls,
Carl Block. WG
06 03 Annual
Festival Next Sunday.
Lutheran Home For Feebleminded To
Entertain. The annual festival of the
Evangelical Lutheran Home for Feebleminded and Epileptics will be celebrated on
the grounds Sunday, June 6.
Divine services will be held forenoon
and afternoon. The orators for this
festival occasion are the well-known Professors Kuhlow and Wendtland of
Northwestern college.
The attending friends of the
institution will have at the same time the rare treat of hearing classical
German songs, The German Lutheran “Saengerbund’ of South Wisconsin, numbering
400 strong, will take part. The excellent
band of St. John’s congregation will also enhance the pleasure of the services
by accompanying the hymns.
It is the way of German hospitality to
take care of their visiting friends, and the ladies committee of St. John’s
congregation has made great preparations to give justice to all visitors.
The committees of St. John’s
congregation have not spared to prepare a meal that will be worth enjoying.
All friends of the institution are
welcome and the directors and committees hope to meet them on the grounds. WG
06 10 Annual
Lutheran Festival Largely Attended.
The weather on Sunday last was ideal in
Watertown and the result was that a very large crowd of people attended the
annual festival of Lutherans at the Lutheran Home for Feebleminded. The attendance was greater than on any
previous occasion and many contributed liberally for the maintenance of this
charitable institution. The ladies of
St. John’s Lutheran church who had charge of the dining rooms served over 800
people at dinner and nearly as many at supper.
Prof. E. A. Wendland gave a German address at the morning service and
Prof. O. F. Kulow delivered an English address at the afternoon service. The Lutheran Saengerbund of southern
Wisconsin, made up of choirs of Lutheran churches, held their convention at the
Lutheran home Sunday afternoon and rendered several splendid choruses. The festival was a great success in every
particular. WG
1916
06 27 THOUSANDS
ATTEND PICNIC AT BETHESDA
Two special trains from Milwaukee increase amount that attended
Sermon by Rev. H. C. Jaus Feature of Afternoon’s Program and Prof. T.
Schlueter Speaks to Children.
When people are offered such a
combination as fine weather, fine spirits, fine entertainment and a big crowd
of people the outcome of it is sure to be a good time. This certainly was the case at the
celebration held at the Home of the Feebleminded Sunday.
A Milwaukee contingent of 350 Lutherans
of twenty-eight churches took two special trains on the electric road and added
to the 6,000 that had already gathered from this city, Jefferson and Fort
Atkinson. The party was escorted to the
home by the St. John’s band and the morning service in German which followed
immediately was led by the Rev. Clarence Sheuer of Lowell, Mass. The afternoon program was in English being
featured by a sermon by the Rev. H. C. Jaus and a talk to the children by Prof.
Theodore Schlueter of the Northwestern college.
Dinner and supper were served in one of
the buildings by the ladies of St. Mark’s church. Choir numbers were given by the Watertown
members on the lawns surrounding the buildings which were specially decorated
for the occasion. Watertown
Weekly Leader
1917
08 20 DOUBLE
THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL HOME
Lutheran Home For Feeble-Minded Too
Small and Another Building Will Be Erected in the Near Future.
The present capacity of Bethesda, the
Lutheran Home for Feebleminded, has been reached and it becomes necessary to
double the capacity and with that end in view plans are now being drawn for the
erection of a building with a capacity for 130 inmates. The present structure now houses 140 and
there are several applications on file which will completely fill the present
home.
The new building will be erected just
south of the present one and the barn on the location will be moved to the
southern part of grounds far away from the home. With the completion of the new building the
home will be capable of housing 300 inmates.
Want Arc Lights.
Something that is badly needed near the
home is better lighting along the road leading from the main highway to the
park. On dark nights when medical
attendance is needed or for any other cause it becomes necessary to traverse
this portion of the road one is at a loss to find the way in safety. When it is known that the sum of $28,000 was
expended in Watertown last year from outside sources, it would seem that aside
from philanthropic reasons the city could with good grace install two arc
lights between the main highway and the park at the north end of the grounds.
Does Much Good.
Watertown people hardly realize the
great good that this institution is accomplishing in caring for those who
cannot care for themselves. A visit to
the home is a revelation. The ground
contains one of the finest parks in the country while the land to the east of
the home and running to the river is a garden in which are grown every variety
of vegetable known in this section, in fact they grow more than the home uses,
the balance being disposed of to purchasers.
They keep twenty milk cows which supplies the table with cream and
butter, and this last season sold an abundance of strawberries, besides those
used in the home. Handsome flower
gardens adorn the landscape the especial care of some of the inmates.
Taken altogether it has been made an
ideal spot converting a hazel brush undergrowth into a finely kept garden and
replete with beauty spots.
The superintendent is the Rev. J. C. Jaus,
and the assistant superintendent is the Rev. E. Stroeln, both of whom look
after the care and comfort and education of the inmates. - The Watertown News, 08 20 1917
1920
04 10 ADDITION
TO BE CONSTRUCTED
Home for feeble minded add $170,000, 2
story, 60x106.
Architect: B A Messmer & Bros, 1006
Majestic bldg., Milwaukee
General contract let to Carl Block, 206
Division St, Watertown
Masonry let to Mallow & Kadditz,
309 Warren St, Watertown
Heating let to Otto
Biefeld & Co, Watertown
Plumbing let to Mendenhall Co,
Watertown
Start work soon.
1921
05 16 BETHESDA
HOME, SIZE AND OCCUPANCY
This building, as
shown here, is 410 feet long. It
contained at this time 152 patients. It
has a capacity of 250 patients. In 1923
it contained 223 patients, 19 of them under the age of 10 years. 70 are from 10 to 20 years. 41 are from 20 to 30, 56 are from 30 to 50
years and 36 are over 50 years
05 16 BETHESDA
HOME, FARM AND OCCUPANCY
This institution, as
shown here, was built by and is the property of the Ev. Luth. Synod of Mo.
And Wis. Is also run and maintained by
them. There is a fair-sized farm
connected to this institution, 35 cows and 5 horses, 135 hogs and 150 hens
constituted the livestock, Jan 1 1923.
Patients from Wis. 67, Ill. 32, Neb. 20, Minn. 20, Mich. 16, Ohio13, Mo.
8, Ind. 7, Kans 5, Cal 3, Okla 3, Penn. 3, N.Y 2, ND 2, Ark 2, N.J; Ala, Conn,
Ky, Md, SD, Utah, Wash, Can., each 1.
1924
Old organ of St. Mark’s Lutheran church given
to Bethesda.
1929
BETHESDA INSTITUTE
-- -- VIDEO
RENDERING OF LARGE-SIZE FRAMED PRINT, YouTube, WHS_021_379
c.1930
ISOLATION HOSPITAL
Perhaps nothings was
remodeled as often as the small barracks that housed the classrooms in
Milwaukee. When Bethesda returned to
Watertown, the little building was carefully taken apart piece by piece. Even the tarred roofing was rolled up and
shipped to Watertown. Reassembled, it
was first a laundry, housing a steam engine that both heated the water and ran
the washing machine. Next it became an
isolation hospital, and in 1923, it ”was again raised to the honor of the
school.” Before long, four classrooms
were erected, so the barracks again became a “hospital” and later a store room
for old furniture and donations, before being torn down. - Treasured Lives – The
Story of Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services, Inc.. p. 65
1931
NEW DORMITORY
Building seen in background of image
Bethesda_002_043
1932
WINTER AT BETHESDA
1934
06 05 INMATE DROWNS IN SMALL POOL
John Habeck, 46, an inmate of the
Bethesda Lutheran Home for the past nine years, drowned last night in a small
pool on the grounds of the institution, not far from where the Saturday Club
erected a marker last year to designate the place where Timothy Johnson,
Watertown's first white settler, built his cabin in 1836. Mr. Habeck, subject to epileptic attacks, was
evidently, seized with one when he visited the pool late in the afternoon and
tumbled into the water. He had been in
the habit of visiting the pool daily and had been permitted to beautify it with
stone. He was proud of his work
there. Mr. Habeck was born in Ixonia and
was a son of the late Fred and Wilhelmina Habeck. WDT
1936
05 24 STONE
LAYING FOR NEW CHAPEL
This 20th century late Gothic Revival styled chapel exhibits a
simplified form that features dentil trim under the eaves, smooth surfaces
articulated by simple pointed arched stained glass windows recessed in the
plain brick elevations. Built in 1936 at
a cost of $26,000, the Bethesda Chapel originally was designed with an open
balcony for wheelchairs and was equipped with a Wagnerian organ. Abstracted from Wisconsin Historical
Society, Architecture
and History Inventory record.
-- -- JAHRESFEST
The old-time annual gathering
known as the Jahresfest, which was held annually for many years, was abandoned
during World War II. In its place,
during the intervening years, the Milwaukee Bethesda Auxiliary held its annual
summer meeting at the home on the third Thursday of July. This event was revived in 1960 and gave
members and their families an opportunity to spend a day at the home and enjoy
the outdoor park and the spacious grounds at the institution.
1944
07 08 BETHESDA HOME TO BENEFIT IF WILL'S TERM IS
VIOLATED
Children of Madison Woman
May Not Marry Catholics or Jews
If any
of the children of Mrs. Elsie E. Runge Karasek of Madison marry Catholics or
Jews half of their share of the money of her estate will go to the Bethesda
Lutheran Home in Watertown the will of Mrs. Karasek who died 6/29, discloses.
1948
01 09 TO
CARE FOR HISTORICAL MARKER
The Bethesda Lutheran
Home on whose property the city marker designating the site of the first cabin to
be erected by a settler in Watertown is located, will be paid $25.00 per year
to maintain the plot around the marker which up to a short time ago was
virtually hidden in weeds and was sadly neglected.
The city
council recently reached an agreement with the institution to have it maintain
the site, after the city street department grades it properly.
Good Shepherd
Lutheran Home of the West, later known as Good Shepherd Communities,
established by Bethesda WDT
1950
10 18 CABBAGES
George Frick, Sr., gardener at Bethesda
Lutheran Home, which raises its own vegetables
12 08 GIFTS FROM WATERTOWN VOCATIONAL SCHOOL HOMEMAKER’S CLUB
1954
11 12 Constantly
increasing requests and applications for admission to the Bethesda Lutheran
Home here have resulted in more and more emergency entries of patients for whom
immediate care must be provided, with the result that the home is now
constructing additional facilities to meet the need, it was disclosed today in
a report by officials of the home. The
institution has become more and more overcrowded as a result of the new
admissions and something had to be done to reach a solution, the report pointed
out. Early in the spring of 1954 the
board of directors of the home decided to build the most economical facilities
possible which would serve the largest number quickly. The building was planned later to be used for
other purposes when sufficient room became available in permanent
quarters. For this purpose a Quonset
type construction was decided upon. Construction
has been started on the emergency dormitory to house 25 older boys and
men. A couple to serve as house parents
are already at Bethesda in the persons of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Hedricks. The building is to be of steel construction
with adequate insulation and all modern conveniences. A steam convector heating system is to be
used in the living quarters while the large bedroom is to be heated by Modine
radiators.
1955
10 22 An
announcement revealing recent activities and future plans at the Bethesda
Lutheran Home was issued here today following the annual meeting of the board
members of the institution. It is
estimated the planned building program at Bethesda Lutheran Home will amount to
approximately $2,000,000 in the construction of a four-story hospital type
dormitory for aged patients, and to include an infirmary and various types of
therapy. A new school of ten rooms and
junior size gymnasium is also to be constructed. Finally, the remodeling program will be
completed as a part of the building program.
1955
02 25 The
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, of which St. John's Church of Watertown is a member,
today announced plans for its $5,000,000 building campaign which is to be held
Sunday, March 20 in 4,000 churches of the synod throughout the United
States. The Bethesda Lutheran Home is
one of five auxiliary organizations of the church body which is to share in the
funds of the campaign. The Bethesda
Lutheran Home's share is $1,700,000 which is to be used to complete a vast
remodeling program at the institution and to erect new dormitories and a school
for the mentally retarded persons for which it provides care and training.
1956
01 04 Plans
are well advanced for a two million dollar expansion program at the Bethesda
Lutheran Home, it was announced yesterday by the Rev. Clarence F. Golisch,
superintendent. “We are bursting at the
seams,” the superintendent said. He
reported that the institution is caring for 466 patients, which is many more
than state regulations allow. After the
expansion program is completed, the institution will accommodate 750
patients. He prophesied, because of the
great demand for the type of care offering by Bethesda, that eventually there
would be a thousand patients with the expanded facilities designed for
750.
1956
05 11 In a
letter which Bethesda Lutheran Home officials have sent to the Water Commission
here, the needs for better fire protection at the institution, through added
water facilities being made available in the area, are being stressed. The letter asks extension of a six-inch water
line for a distance of 2,225 feet to be part of the proposed project. This would enable more water hydrants in case
of need in fires and the installation would favorably affect the institution's
fire insurance rating. 05 11
1956
05 25 Ground
breaking ceremonies for the new dormitory and school at the Bethesda Lutheran
Home in Watertown will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 3. Bethesda Home cares for 460 mentally retarded
and physically handicapped persons, offering care for the body, training for
the mind, and Christian instruction and guidance through its religious
program. The new dormitory will provide
a geriatric area and a completely equipped infirmary. Space and equipment will also be available to
handle emotionally disturbed patients.
The school will contain nine classrooms, a junior gymnasium and
offices. This building is made necessary
by the present over-crowded conditions, with more than 125 on the waiting
list. The entire project which will cost
approximately two million dollars, is financed through a grant from the
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and donations from member churches of the
Synodical Conference. Architect for the
new unit is Edgar A. Stubenrauch, Sheboygan.
Architect’s drawing
1956
06 17 A
notable milestone in the history of the Bethesda Lutheran Home took place
yesterday afternoon when ground breaking ceremonies were held for two new
buildings - a hospital or adult building and a school. The cost of the two
units will be $2,000,000. The new facilities will enable the institution to
handle 750 patients, which is almost 300 more than the current population. The
first shovel of dirt for the new adult or hospital building was turned by Louis
Pingel, who until his retirement has been superintendent of the institution for
nearly 30 years, whose long range planning has included the present building
program. The second shovel was turned by Dr. Otto F. Dierker, president of the
board; and the third by the Rev. Clarence F. Golisch, superintendent. The first
shovel of dirt for the school was turned by Chaplain Adolph M. Harstad. Other
shovels were turned by Arthur Mallow, member of the board, and Walter Manthey,
treasurer and member of the board.
1957
08 13 The
two newest buildings at the Bethesda Lutheran Home which are now nearing
completion are to be dedicated on Sunday, Oct. 20. Those buildings are the $1,300,000 Ritter
Memorial Dormitory, partial use of which has been promised in September, and
the new $200,000 Pingel School, named in honor of Louis Pingel, for many years superintendent of the home. The new dormitory includes a geriatric area
for older patients and a completely equipped infirmary. There is also special space for emotionally
disturbed residents. The Pingel School
building has nine classrooms, with additional classrooms if needed, as well as
recreational space, teachers' offices and the like. Orville Madsen and Son, Minneapolis, are the
general contractors and the architects are Edgar A. Stubenrauch and Associates
of Sheboygan.
1958
01 29 Louis Pingel, “The Grand Old Man of Bethesda,”
honored. Associated with the home for 50
years WDT
04 03 Plans announced for dual dedication services on
Sunday, April 13 and Sunday, April 20, for newly completed Louis Pingel School, the Linda Ritter Memorial Dormitory, and the
Manual Arts School. WDT
04 11 The first of two dedication services for the Louis Pingel School, the Linda Ritter
Memorial Hospital and the Manual Arts School at the Bethesda Lutheran Home was
held yesterday afternoon at the home. WDT
Bethesda Thrift Shop started WDT
07 22 PLOT OF GROUND DEEDED TO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The board
of directors of the Bethesda Lutheran Home has instructed its
executive committee and the management of the home to take the necessary steps
to deed a plot of ground to the Watertown Historical Society. This
plot is to be sufficiently large to enable the society to erect a log cabin on
the site. Such a log cabin is to further mark the spot as an
historical location where a stone marker thus far has been
placed. This marker locates the site of the first home established
by the first settler in the Watertown area. The marker can be found just at the
bend of the road on Hoffman Drive as this street nears the Rock River (Hoffman
Drive has been named after a member of the board of directors of Bethesda
Lutheran Home in its early days, the late Fred Hoffman who did a great deal to
make the location of the home possible in Watertown.) Hoffman Drive
leads off of Johnson Street which joins Milford Street (county highway “A”) at
the North Western Railroad track crossing. The Timothy Johnson
family was the first settlers in the Watertown area. The marker is
located on the grounds of Bethesda Lutheran Home. The home is a
school and home for mentally retarded, epileptic and otherwise handicapped
persons. WDT
10 16 Ed Rindfleisch new president;
retirement of Dr. Otto F. Dierker WDT
12 19 New life-size figurines
enhance Christmas scene at home WDT
1959
03 20 Earl
E. Mundt, resignation of; superintendent of BLH for many years WDT
08 01 Col.
Clarence F. Golisch, executive director of Bethesda, ordered to report for
duty, Army Reserve WDT
1960
03 12 BETHESDA THRIFT SHOP
For many years friends
of Bethesda Lutheran Home in Watertown have sent items of surplus clothing to
the home to be used for the Bethesda patients.
In recent years the volume of these donations has increased immeasurably. This clothing has always been sorted and the
items that were usable by the patients were stocked in the supply system of
Bethesda. The balance became more and
more of a problem as the surpluses accumulated.
In May of 1958 Fred Nienoof the Bethesda staff was given the assignment
to locate and start a store operation in Watertown. The result was the opening of the Bethesda
Thrift Shop at 204 West Main Street. WDT
06 18 JAHRESFEST
The Bethesda Lutheran
Home is about to revive its old-time annual gathering known as the Jahresfest,
an event that has not been held for some 20 years. The revival is slated for Sunday, July 17 and
is expected to draw thousands of persons to Watertown for the occasion. The Jahresfest, which was held annually for
many years, was abandoned during World War II.
In its place, during the intervening years, the Milwaukee Bethesda
Auxiliary held its annual summer meeting at the home here on the third Thursday
of July. This year the auxiliary will
come here on July 17 to attend the Jahresfest.
It will give members and their families an opportunity to spend a day at
the home and enjoy the outdoor park and the spacious grounds at the
institution. WDT
1962
05 10 REV. CLARENCE F. GOLISCH, L.L.D
The Rev. Clarence F.
Golisch, L.L.D., executive director of Bethesda Lutheran Home in Watertown, has
been made a “Fellow” in the American Association on Mental Deficiency at the
86th Annual President’s Dinner in New York City. The award was given “in recognition of
meritorious contributions to the field of mental deficiency.” He is privileged to use the signature
F.A.A.M.D. WDT
1964
07 25 WALTHER LEAGUE SUMMER WORK CAMP
While thousands of
young people all over the country are swimming and playing, 16 International Walther
Leaguers are spending three weeks at Bethesda Lutheran Home in Watertown
painting, scrubbing, sanding and cleaning.
The 16 are all part of the first group to arrive for the Walther League
summer work camp. Another group of 16 is
due to arrive Aug. 3 and will also stay three weeks. “We are very pleased with the way the camp is
working out,” Dr. C. F. Golisch, executive director of the home, said
today. WDT
1965
04 22 RECORD ENROLLMENT OF 660
Due to a record
enrollment of 660 mentally retarded patients, the Plenary Board of Directors of
Bethesda Lutheran Home adopted a new record high operation budget of $1,688,514
for the 1965-66 fiscal year, according to the Rev. Clarence Golisch, executive
director of the home. The budget was
determined in the recent meeting of Bethesda’s Plenary Board, a
policy-directing board consisting of 24 members. It is presided over by Edward A. Rindfleisch
of Jefferson. Members from Watertown are Roland F. Dierker, 312 Main Street,
and Arthur H. Mallow, 23 Park View Lane.
The former is a partner in Dakin and Dierker, a law firm, and the latter
is owner of the H. F. Mallow and Son Company, a construction company. A Johnson Creek member of the board is Rev.
F. C. Dobratz, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church. WDT
07 27 COOPERATIVE OUT-REACH PROGRAM
Bethesda Lutheran Home
recently took a giant step toward implementing a massive cooperative out-reach
program. In a sweeping change of policy,
this new approach would direct Bethesda activity and influence throughout the
United States in comprehensive services to the mentally retarded and
handicapped on a church and community level.
“Though this exciting development is one with fantastic potential,”
stated Dr. C. F. Golisch, Bethesda’s executive director, “it is conditional and
dependent upon the approval and cooperation of the supporting Lutheran
synods.” WDT
1966
01 04 RINDFLEISCH BUSINESS MGR
Edward A. Rindfleisch,
58, owner and officer of the Rindfleisch Hatchery Farm Store for 19 years, has
accepted a position as business manager at Bethesda Lutheran Home. In that capacity, he will supervise 87
personnel in the management of four departments: house services, office services, farm
services, and maintenance. He replaces
Earlin Krohn who has accepted the position of administrator of the Wisconsin
Lutheran Convalescent home in Milwaukee.
As business manager, Mr. Rindfleisch will assist the executive director,
Dr. C. F. Golisch, in the line of responsibilities of operating the home,
school and hospital for retarded and handicapped Lutherans. He will handle purchasing, contractual
details, and overall business functions of the institution. WDT
08 09 MRS. EUNICE GRUNER PAINTS MASSIVE MURAL
< Click to enlarge
Mrs. Eunice Gruner, Watertown commercial artist,
has donated a 19 x 6 foot mural to Bethesda Lutheran Home. On display in Bethesda’s main lobby, the
traditional scene of “Christ and the Little Children” (Luke 18) was made
contemporary to the institution’s situation with the use of retarded and
handicapped children in the picture.
Painted particularly
for the 670 mentally retarded residents of this local home, hospital, and
training school, the artist wished the mural to say: “Here are the arms of Christ right here at
Bethesda.” She hoped the home’s patients
would identify with the 17 figures being received by Christ.
Seven months in the
making, 1,000 hours were spent in the mural’s creation.
Dr. Clarence F.
Golisch, executive director of the church-related institution, commented: “This beautiful mural is a concise summary of
the reason Bethesda has existed for 62 years.
The fact that our Lord is here among us, speaking through our lips and
working with our hands, has been concretely stated in Mrs. Gruner’s
visualization.”
Of the 17 figures, only
one has a living counterpart. The boy on
Christ’s lap was modeled after an eight-year-old hydrocephalic.
Mrs. Gruner received
her B.S. degree in art education from the University of Wisconsin in 1933,
after which she taught art three years in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Her involvement in home life replaced her
career, until 13 years ago a minister encouraged her to return to art. Since then, she has been a commercial artist
in Watertown, where she has organized Hometown Prints, a firm which custom
designs greeting cards and notepaper for both American and foreign consumers.
As part of her future,
Mrs. Gruner visualizes other murals of a smaller scale for Bethesda. “There are infinite possibilities of scenes
tying in the religious aspect with the meaning of Bethesda’s mission to the retarded.” WDT
Cross
reference: Our Society has a Gruner painting
1967
03 09 NEW SERVICE BUILDING
Bids were received and
contracts awarded for construction of a new service building for Bethesda Lutheran
Home in Watertown, yesterday by the executive board of the home. The new
service building, designed by Durrant, Deininger, Dommer, Kramer, Gordon,
Architects and Engineers, Watertown, consists of 45,600 square feet on two
levels. It will house the complete laundry and dry-cleaning facility for the
entire Home. The laundry will be one of the most modern installations in the
country. WDT
06 07 LAGOONS PLANNED
The Bethesda
Lutheran Home of Watertown has been granted permission by the Public Service
Commission of Wisconsin to enlarge a waterway adjacent to the Rock River. Bethesda Home plans to construct several
lagoons on its property. Each will have
an average depth of four feet and will be irregular in shape. The lagoons will overflow to a drainage ditch
which empties into the Rock River. The
purpose of the project is primarily for aesthetic value within a park setting
which is part of the Bethesda property.
09 07 NEW SERVICE BUILDING
Work on the current
phase of the expansion program undertaken by the Bethesda Lutheran Home is
centering on the new services building which is progressing quite on
schedule. The total project cost is
placed at $1,225,132.
Durrant-Deininger-Dommer-Kramer-Gordon, architects and engineers of
Watertown, are the architects. According
to Edward Rindfleisch, business manager of the institution, the programming of
the services building includes the planning for future expansion needs, which
consists of an activities building and dormitories and incorporates a master
plan developed by the architects. WDT
09 30 EICKSTEADT PARK
Bethesda Lutheran Home is in process of landscaping about four acres of
land to be called Eicksteadt Park. The
swampy breeding ground for mosquitoes is otherwise totally useless land, due to
poor surface drainage and the presence of springs. It is, therefore, unfit for cultivation. The development of such a park came as the
result of a bequest of Mrs. Myrtle E. Eicksteadt, who, under the provisions of
her will, specifically earmarked a sum of money to be used to the glory of God
for the beautification of Bethesda’s grounds and as a memorial to her husband,
the Rev. P. J. Eicksteadt, and herself. WDT
1968
-- -- CAMP MATZ
ESTABLISHED
14 acres with a main
lodge, three cabins for the campers, one cabin for volunteers, one staff
cottage and a one-of-a-kind accessible tree house.
01 24 RECOGNIZED FOR LIFESAVING EFFORTS
A framed certificate of merit was
presented to William Brennan, Watertown High School senior, for his lifesaving
efforts during a fire last July 14 at Bethesda Home. The 1967 award was presented by the Jefferson
County Council of the Veterans of Foreign Wars during half-time ceremonies at
the Gosling/Oconomowoc basketball game Friday night. Young Brennan, employed as a ward attendant
at Bethesda, was cited for his efforts in evacuating 84 non-ambulatory
handicapped patients during the fire.
Presenting the merit award to the youth was Albert Groska, Brookfield,
Second District commander of the VFW. Brennan is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene
Brennan, 400 South Washington Street.
02 02 DIRECTOR OF NURSING RETIRES
Miss
Margaret Taras, R.N., who has served Bethesda Lutheran Home as director of
nursing since July 16, 1968, recently resigned from her position. Employees honored Miss Taras for her services
to this home for the mentally retarded and physically handicapped at a luncheon
and reception. Her contributions were
also recognized by members of the board of directors, department directors, and
supervisors of the nursing department at a farewell dinner. “It is with deep regret that I leave
Bethesda,” Miss Taras stated. “I have
never before worked with such dedicated people; they have always been most
cooperative. It was indeed a privilege
to work at the home.”
02 28 INDEPENDENT LIVING
Since the fall of 1967,
Bethesda Lutheran Home has been working on a project to expand the
opportunities of residents who, with extra training, have the potential to
eventually live independently. This
project consists of two major parts, running concurrently with each other:
experience in community living, and job training and placement. “The object is to bridge the gap between
their lives in the institution and independent living in the outside world,”
the Rev. Donald Nordmeyer, program director of Bethesda, stated. David Geske, director of social service,
Pastor Nordmeyer and Dean Schneck, who is working on his master’s degree in
social work at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, have been instrumental
in the planning of the project.
06 02 NEW SERVICES BUILDING DEDICATED
Over
400 persons were present at Bethesda Lutheran Home here Sunday afternoon for
the dedication of the new services building which is a memorial to Clara and
Spencer Werner of Paris, Ill. The
weather was ideal and people present came from far and near. Immediately following the service, Dr.
Golisch stated that in greater measure than anyone else, the Werners have made
this building possible. “Both husband
and wife came from Milwaukee. In 1934
they moved to Paris, Ill., and bought the Illinois Cereal Mill, Inc., which
greatly prospered. Dr. Golisch said that
with the profits derived from the cereal mill they established the Clara and
Spencer Werner Foundation in 1952 — a foundation with the sole endeavors of
financing projects for the Lutheran Church.
06 11 HAROLD
NIEDFELDT HONORED
The Watertown Agri-Business Club elected Harold
Niedfeldt, 126 Riverlawn Avenue, as its president. Mr. Niedfeldt is the farm
manager at Bethesda Lutheran Home. He is
also active in the Holstein Breeders Association and serves as a trustee for
the Jefferson County Home, and a past officer of the Watertown Lions Club. Other officers elected were Kenneth Degner,
Ixonia, vice president, Leslie Huber, 1025 Boughton Street, secretary and
treasurer.
09 26 WATERTOWN REGIONAL BETHESDA AUXILIARY / THRIFT SHOP
Many
of the women from 37 congregations in and around Watertown, who are members of
the Watertown Regional Bethesda Auxiliary, have been active in volunteer work
at Bethesda’s Thrift Shop located
at 204 West Main Street in Watertown.
They will be celebrating the Thrift Shop’s 10th year of business as an
auxiliary project by having special sales Sept. 26 and 27 from 1 p.m. to 9
p.m. Coffee and cookies will be served
to the customers to help the ladies celebrate. For these past ten years,
donations of clothing, appliances, and so forth that cannot be utilized at the
home, have been priced and then taken to the Thrift Shop for sale. Since 1958,
the store has had gross sales of $131,860.38. All profits go to Bethesda
Lutheran Home to help in its mission to person who are mentally retarded and
physically handicapped.
1969
04 05 HENRY M. STOEPPELWORTH
Henry
M. Stoeppelworth, 323 Riviera Drive, director of development at Bethesda
Lutheran Home, has resigned his position, and has accepted the newly created
position of executive secretary and development director for the Lutheran High
School Association of Milwaukee. The
position of director of development at Bethesda was created in September of
1965. He was the first to hold the newly
created position. Before that he has
been director of public relations at Bethesda for five years. He came to Bethesda in 1960.
04 30 NEW “SHELTERED WORKERS” RESIDENCE
The
building is arranged to have three sections, a central section with wings on
two sides having duplicate facilities of 12 double bedrooms and an enclosed
outdoor court for each wing. The central
section will provide for the apartment for the house parents.
08 01 OVER 100 WISCONSIN JAYCETTES TOURED BETHESDA
In
addition to the tour a program was presented by residents of the home.
Mrs.
William Scherdin, Jefferson, region 2 vice-president; Mrs. William Kwapil,
Watertown, vice president; Mrs. Philip Simonis, Rothschild, state external
executive vice-president; Mrs. James Wartinbee, Brookfield, state Jaycette
president; Mrs. George Raether, Watertown chapter president; Mrs. Ronald
Neuendorf, Beaver Dam, internal executive vice-president; Mrs. Charles Bredek,
Kenosha, region 2, state vice-president; Mrs. William Schmidt, Watertown
chapter vice-president; Mrs. Al LaBelle, Watertown, past president and tour
chairman, Mrs. Richard Mittelstadt, Fort Atkinson, region 2 vice-president.
In
Watertown the local Jaycettes have assisted in setting up the retarded nursery
school and assisted the teacher in the classroom. They have participated in the
big sister program at Bethesda and served as volunteers. They have also taken
retarded children from the community on field trips and are in the process of
supporting and assisting the Youth Association for Retarded Children and their
work with teenage retarded children and their families in the community.
09 25 $30,000 FIRE AT BETHESDA
Fire caused estimated damages of
$30,000 to two farm buildings at the Bethesda Lutheran Home Wednesday. Firemen were called to the scene at 4:24 p.m.
to extinguish a blaze to the pig barn and hay stack. All off duty and auxiliary personnel were
called to battle the fire. The fire was
brought under control and extinguished approximately one and one-half hours
after the department arrived. Damage to
the building was estimated at $25,000, and the contents of $5,000. A total of 156 pigs were lost.
10 04 TV PROGRAM ON BETHESDA
A television crew from the National
Broadcasting Company [NBC] finished taping and recording a color telecast in
Watertown.
The telecast, a documentary on the
Bethesda Lutheran Home in Watertown, will be shown on Milwaukee television,
station WTMJ, channel four, on the evening of June 14, 1970.
Doris Ann, producer of the documentary
film, along with the camera and sound crew, were in Watertown the past several
weeks shooting scenes at the Bethesda Home and several areas of the city.
Miss Ann said she got very good
cooperation from the officials of the home as well as the patients at the home
and found it a joy to work in Watertown.
The film, being shot in 16mm color,
shows the various aspects of the life of the patients at the home. Several
scenes were made at the National Foods Store. The scenes showed how some of the
patients are allowed to do their own shopping and use the public facilities in
Watertown.
One of the scenes shot was made at the
Classic Theatre showing the patients entering the theatre to view a film. The management of the theatre allows the
Bethesda to view the movies free of charge.
1970
CLARA
WERNER DORM DEDICATED
1975 -1998
-- -- ALEX
NAPOLITANO NAMED DIRECTOR
Alex Napolitano
Alex
served Bethesda from 1975 to 1998 as the organization’s first executive
director professionally trained in the care of people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities. He led
Bethesda through challenging times — when views about where people with
developmental disabilities should live prompted increased government
involvement in care, when new technologies stimulated significant changes in
operations, and when funds ran so short there were times when staff were not
paid. Whatever swirled around him, he
held up Bethesda’s mission as the key to the future. 2014-15 Bethesda Annual Report, pgs
14-15.
1978
02 06 LAND SOLD FOR PARK
The
Watertown City Council agreed Tuesday evening to purchase approximately nine
acres of land from Bethesda Lutheran Home as a future park site. The vote was 11 to 3 in favor of the
purchase. Aldermen George Ebert, Walter
Nuernberg and Joseph Ready opposed purchase of the property which is priced at
$23,000. The nine acre parcel is located
on Milford Street in the southwest corner of the city.
1979
04 02 BETHESDA 75TH ANNIVERSARY SERVICE
1980
10 22 Three
buildings at Bethesda Lutheran Home have been demolished to make room for a
badly needed parking lot. The oldest unit,
the Eggers building, was erected in 1909 for a cost of $35,000. The second section of the Eggers building was
constructed in 1913. In 1922 the
Tetzlaff building, part of a $175,000 building project, was put up. It was connected to the Eggers building by a
long corridor which after remodeling to the front and rear became the Prange
building. In recent years it housed
administrative offices which have been moved to the remodeled Pingel School
building. None of the demolished units
met state fire codes and residents hadn't lived there for three to four
years. Besides tearing down the three
buildings, the back wall of the chapel, which was the front wall of the
Tetzlaff building, was also destroyed. A
new wall and gift shop will be constructed.
In addition to the gift shop and parking area, Bethesda opened its new
lobby about two weeks ago.
11 26 Bethesda
Lutheran Home will lay the cornerstone for its new chapel and spiritual life
center at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. An open
house in the home's newly remodeled areas and presentation of the 1980 Pool of
Bethesda Award are also planned in conjunction with the event. Following the ceremony, the 1980 Pool of
Bethesda Award will be presented to Dr. Clarence Golisch, who headed Bethesda
from 1950 to 1972. The award was created
by the home in 1979 to recognize outstanding contributions of service and leadership
in the field of mental retardation.
Previous recipients are Dale Evans Rogers and Chaplain Herbert Munderich
of California.
1982
02 03 NEW CHAPEL AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CENTER
DEDICATED
A new
$2.5 million chapel and religious education center will be dedicated by
Bethesda Lutheran Home on Sunday, March 14, (Mental Retardation Sunday) at 2:30
p.m. “This is one of the few structures
in the United States designed to make worship more meaningful to mentally
retarded and physically handicapped persons,” says Alexander Napolitano, the
Home’s executive director. Made possible
by a gift from Edna, Meta, Alvin and Walter Schujahn in memory of their
parents, Frank and Anna Kiekhaefer Schujahn, the structure is named the
Schujahn Memorial Chapel of The Good Shepherd and Spiritual Life Center.
11 27 DIERKER BUILDING C PARTITIONED
A $717,000 project at Bethesda
Lutheran Home will result in the relocation of 46 residents to updated quarters
and the addition of two services. The
13,107-square-foot lower level of Dierker Building C will be partitioned into
10 four-bed and three two-bed rooms.
Each room will have bath and toilet facilities and built-in
wardrobes. The residents will be moved
into Dierker C from the third floor of the Ritter Building, which will be
converted into a resource and diagnostic center.
1985
01 25 BETHESDA EMPLOYEES HONORED
Rose
Christian, who has worked the last 20 years as a residential aide, is
among Bethesda Lutheran Home employees honored this week for longevity,
A.L. Napolitano, executive director, announced. Christian, of rural
Watertown, began her employment on Jan. 20, 1965, as a ward parent (the term
then used for residential aide) in the children's ward of the old Tetzlaff
building, which has since been razed. Awards for 10 years went to
Arlene Buske, medical records clerk; Nana Pirkel, clinic clerk; Arlis Meske,
clothing aide, and Ruth Seeber, residential aide. All reside in
Watertown. Employees who completed five years of service were Nancy
Klokow, clinic clerk; Ovella Mecalf, houseparent at Bethesda's training group
home at 506 South Washington Street, and Faye Vokoun, registered nurse. All
reside in Watertown. WDT
02 22 ALEXANDER NAPOLITANO,
LONGEVITY AWARD
Alexander
L. Napolitano, executive director of Bethesda Lutheran Home in
Watertown, received a longevity award Feb. 18 for 10 years of service as head
of this nationally known training and treatment center for developmentally
disabled children and adults. Walter F. Tesch, a member of
Bethesda's board of directors, presented the award to Napolitano, citing him
for “leading Bethesda to the position of pre-eminence in the care and teaching
of mentally retarded people.” Napolitano, who came to Bethesda Feb.
1, 1975, credited the accomplishments achieved over the last 10 years to the
support of the board of directors and the hard work performed by a dedicated
staff. WDT
04 28 NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK
Bethesda
recently honored 7,700 volunteers who gave nearly 90,000 hours of service
during 1985 in recognition of National Volunteer Week. A volunteer’s name is engraved on a plaque in
Bethesda’s main lobby for 5,000 hours of service and a star is placed by the
name for every 2,500 hours of added service.
Elsie Degnitz of Watertown received second stars after completing 10,000
hours of service. Wanda Fischer, Oconomowoc, had a star added by her name for
7,500 hours and Dorothy Person, Watertown, had her name placed on the plaque
for 5,000 volunteer service hours.
Certificates of appreciation for 4,000 hours of service were given to
Anita Steffen, Watertown, Harvey Krueger, Watertown, and Maxine Dargue, Waupun. WDT
1986
10 01 Eight employees who have worked a
combined total of 100 years at Bethesda Lutheran Home are being honored for
their service this month. Heading the
list are Verena Papiernik, residential aide, and David Tietz, print shop
supervisor, both of whom began working at Bethesda 25 years ago. Other staff members receiving service awards
are: Bonnie Sprengel, licensed practical nurse, 15 years; Audrey Hale, clothing
aide; and Phyllis Guetzlaff, social service clerk, 10 years; Roberta Roe and
Roxanne Grimmer, residential aides, and Russell Fathauer, director, each for
five years. WDT
1987
04 20 Marlys S. Taege, corporate affairs
administrator of Bethesda Lutheran Home in Watertown, will receive the
Southeastern Wisconsin Women in Communications prestigious Headliner Award at a
dinner in her honor May 7 at the Bluemound Country Club in Wauwatosa. The Headliner is awarded annually to the WICI
chapter to a nominee who had demonstrated a high standard of professional
achievement, service to the community and/or a fair portrayal of women in the
media. Taege is the author of three
books, charter member of the Hawks Inn Historical Society, 1986 Lutheran Woman
of the Year, and has spent 37 years in the profession of communications. WDT
04 30 Darlene Turke, living area assistant on
the Olson Manor living area, has been named Bethesda Lutheran Home’s employee
of the year. Wayne Kottmeyer, Bethesda’s
senior administrator, presented the annual award for excellence to Turke at an
employee in-service. “What makes this
award even more special is the fact that the employees are nominated by their
peers,” Kottmeyer said. “The residents
are all like my kids,” Turke said, “I find Bethesda to be a very happy place
where the residents receive a lot of attention and a lot of love.” WDT
07 27 Joan Wright and Bernadette Maron
recently were honored for 20 years of service at Bethesda Lutheran Home,
according to A.L. Napolitano, executive director. Wright serves as the assistant administrator
and Maron is an inventory clerk at Bethesda, a home, school and treatment
center that has provided Christian care and training to mentally retarded
children and adults since 1904. Maron
started as a part-time helper in the stenography pool before she transferred to
central supply as a clerk. She is now a
clerk in the purchasing department. WDT
09 07 Rev. Frederick A. Stiemke, religious
life administrator at Bethesda Lutheran Home, has been named chairman of the
religion division of the Wisconsin chapter of the American Association on
Mental Deficiency (AAMD). The
appointment, made by the Wisconsin AAMD executive committee, is effective Oct.
22. As chairman of the religion
division, Stiemke will also serve on the Wisconsin executive committee. “We are glad to see Rev. Stiemke’s
appointment,” said Bethesda Executive Director A.L. Napolitano. “He will be a strong advocate of the need for
mental retardation professionals to meet clients’ spiritual needs. WDT
1989
11 12 NEW
PRINTING FACILITY
With more
than eight newsletters, numerous brochures and forms for all of its 32
nationwide facilities, Bethesda Lutheran Home’s printing needs are indeed
vast. In order to meet those needs,
Bethesda has recently completed construction of a new, million dollar printing
facility at its main Watertown campus.
“The new 11,760-square-foot building will nearly double the space
available for Bethesda’s print operations,” said Dave Tietz, print shop
manager. “We will be printing 12 hours a
day, five days a week and may increase those hours if it takes off like we’re
hoping it will.” WDT
1990
07 03 PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL ACCESS SPUR
Mayor
David R. Lenz said today he will oppose any plans to locate the proposed
industrial access spur on a major part of land owned by Bethesda Lutheran
Home. Bethesda officials have asked the
city to locate the road further south than the initial location, which starts
roughly at the intersection of County Trunk Y and state Highway. This route, used in preliminary planning to
obtain state funding for the project, is opposed by Bethesda because it would
bisect land planned for expansion of a camping facility. To date, the city has not formally endorsed a
location, and Lenz said he would not support a route that would adversely
affect Bethesda’s proposed expansion. WDT
10 01 PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL ACCESS SPUR
Plans
for the expansion of a recreational facility and a corporate center at Bethesda
Lutheran Home have been placed on hold until city officials select a final
route for a proposed industrial access spur.
Bethesda spokesman Richard Lowe said the organization originally planned
to start work last spring, but delayed construction after learning that the
spur’s route could cut through the land set aside for expansion of Camp
Matz. Since that time, city officials
have moved the proposed location of the road to the southern edge of Bethesda’s
property in an attempt to leave intact the land intended for the camp’s
expansion. Still, Bethesda officials are
waiting for a definite road location before proceeding with their own
plans. WDT
1992
BETHESDA LUTHERAN HOME
RENAMED
BETHESDA LUTHERAN HOMES AND
SERVICES.
09 11 PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL ACCESS SPUR
Mayor Frederick
Smith helped officials and residents of Bethesda Lutheran Home dedicate the
expansion of the Camp Matz facility Sunday afternoon. A dedication ceremony was held in the outdoor
chapel of the facility, which was expanded to give Bethesda residents access to
a three-season camp. The idea for
camping on Bethesda property in Watertown began in 1969 when a farm was donated
for recreational purposes. However,
Bethesda officials decided to develop land closer to the Watertown campus so
that the facility would be easier to reach and used more often. A wooded area on the west end of the
Watertown campus was selected for use as a day and overnight camping
program. The name, Camp Matz, comes from
the farmer who donated the Door County land.
WDT
11 07 BENEFICIARY OF ANNUAL BETHESDA COUNTRY FAIR
HORICON
—The Bethesda Lutheran Home was the beneficiary of a special gift of $95,000
thanks to the hard work of the 300 volunteers who contributed to the success of
the annual Bethesda Country Fair this year.
The gift was presented to Bethesda during the Country Fair meeting at
the warehouse of the Bethesda Country Fair Store in Horicon Thursday. Brad Jentsch, Bethesda marketing coordinator,
and Tom Heuer, annual giving counselor with Bethesda’s development staff, told
the gathering the largest part of the gift would be used to purchase personal
items and furnishings that will directly benefit the residents at
Bethesda. About one-third of the gift
will be used for furnishings such as carpeting or drapes as needed.
05 10 CHAPLAIN STIEMKE AWARDED HONORARY DEGREE
In recognition of his lifetime of ministry with individuals who
are mentally retarded, Chaplain Frederick Stiemke of Bethesda Lutheran Home
will be awarded an honorary doctor of divinity degree May 28 by Concordia
Seminary, St. Louis, Mo. After serving
as a chaplain in North Carolina state and county psychiatric and mental
retardation centers, Stiemke became chaplain of Bethesda Lutheran Homes and
Services in 1974. Twelve years later he
was named to his present position of religious life administrator, with
responsibility for supervising chaplains at Bethesda campuses in Watertown,
Cypress, Texas, Olathe, Kan., and northern Illinois. He also
assists congregations which sponsor Bethesda group homes.
11 24 CHAPLAIN STIEMKE AWARDED HONORARY DEGREE
An honorary Doctor of Letters
degree will be awarded to Alexander L. Napolitano, executive director of
Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services, at the Dec. 18 graduation ceremony of
Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon.
The degree recognizes his leadership in the health care field and his
service as head of one of the largest Lutheran ministries to people with mental
retardation in the U.S. Napolitano has
been executive director of Bethesda since February 1975. A board member of the Wisconsin Association
of Nursing Homes and M& I Bank of Watertown, he is a certified health care
executive and has served on the President’s Committee on Mental
Retardation. He is listed in “Who’s Who
in the Midwest.”
1994
06 07 1994 EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
For her ability to "walk a
mile in someone else's shoes" and to "see things from resident,
management and co-worker perspectives," residential aide Marion Welch, of
Lowell, has been named 1994 Employee of the Year for Bethesda Lutheran Homes
and Services, Inc. The announcement was made by Executive Director Dr. A.L.
Napolitano, who noted that Welch has made a strong contribution to improving
the quality of life for people with mental retardation. Welch, who has worked
at Bethesda since August 1981, was chosen from a field of 18 strong candidates,
all nominated by their peers, said Napolitano.
According to her nomination papers, Welch never fails to put first the
needs of those she serves. "She is full of energy and always does extra
special things for the residents."
06 07 CAMP MATZ AND THE DISCOVERY CENTER
A series of disability-simulation exercises and the latest
additions to a summer camp for people with mental retardation will be dedicated
Saturday at the Watertown campus of Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services,
Inc. According to Dr. A. L. Napolitano,
the executive director of Bethesda, both Camp Matz and the Discovery Center,
which provides hands-on experiences in what it’s like to have a disability,
will be open for tours beginning at 2:30 p.m. and tours will also be available
after the service until 4:30 p.m. Every
summer, dozens of teen-agers from around the country come to Camp Matz. During their volunteer week they help
residents with nature walks, crafts, sporting activities, Bible studies, and
many other projects associated with camp.
1997
04 09 SKELETAL REMAINS FOUND
Skeletal
remains of a body found on property owned by Bethesda Lutheran Home have been
determined to be an archaeological find, officials said late this morning. A skull and other remains were found on
Bethesda property Wednesday afternoon by Jim Frey of Watertown, Bethesda
grounds superintendent. The remains were
found in some brush below a tree line.
Police Inspector Larry Sukow said late this morning that some of the
finds were transported to Madison by the state crime lab where they were
examined by experts with the University of Wisconsin. He said, “Their determination was that this
is not a crime scene but rather an archaeological find.” WDT
07 06 DR. NAPOLITANO RETIREMENT
Dr.
Alexander L. Napolitano, executive director at Bethesda Lutheran Homes and
Services Inc. for the past 23 years, will retire at the end of the year. Napolitano, chief executive officer of one of
the nation's largest providers to people with mental retardation, will retire
on Jan. 1, 1998. Served as executive
director since Feb. 1, 1975. During
Napolitano's tenure, Bethesda has grown from the Watertown campus and two local
group homes to 39 Bethesda-owned facilities, nine supported apartments and four
service offices in 11 states. WDT
12 14 DR. F. DAVID GESKE has been named
executive director WDT
1998
01 02 DR.
ALEXANDER
NAPOLITANO RETIRES
His desk is covered,
end to end, with small piles of paper.
Forms, memos, letters. It’s the culmination of a 23-year career, one
that will end today. Alexander
Napolitano has served as executive director of Bethesda Lutheran Homes and
Services for more than two decades, ushering in changes in the care of mentally
retarded children and adults. Through
evolving theories of housing and education, Napolitano has been at the helm of
Bethesda. He has no specific plans for
his retirement, he said, adding that he and his wife, Ginny, hope to relax,
travel and volunteer. It’s been a long
time since he’s been able to fill his days with business other than that
relating to Bethesda. Napolitano came to
Bethesda in 1975 after a period as director of a Racine County
institution. Before that, he was
employed in the same field in Milwaukee.
09 18 Dr. Alexander
Napolitano honored, administration building named after WDT
11 18 Watertown Community Child Care move to
Bethesda; conditional use permit approved
WDT
1999
08 24 Restructuring; seven living areas
headed by program directors
09 02 Harvey Krueger, volunteer WDT
11 17 September Bethesda Country Fair, $160,000
check WDT
2000
05 22 Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services has announced
Ixonia resident Roberta Neitzel has been selected as its Employee of the Year
for the North Central Region. A
residential aide at Bethesda's Watertown campus, Neitzel exemplifies the ideal
employee, according to Debborah Zubke, administrator of the North Central
Region. "Roberta is a wonderful,
caring person who puts the needs of the people she serves first. Her positive attitude shows in everything she
does, from her quick smile and easy laughter to the way she treats all others
she comes in contact with," Zubke said.
"She is a hard worker and is respected and valued by all of her
co-workers." WDT
08 28 Open house scheduled to celebrate the completion of
two new homes for clients who live at the Eickstaedt Home. The open house is
scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. The two homes are located at 1621 and 1633
Carlson Place. The homes offer clients
the opportunity to live in a more community-based setting than the Eickstaedt
Home, which is adjacent to the grounds of Bethesda's Watertown campus. WDT
12 29 Bethesda is planning a
$7 million to $10 million construction project at its Watertown campus to be completed
by 2004, the year the organization turns 100 years old. The Dierker buildings on the campus'
southwest side will be remodeled in the first phase of Bethesda's long-term
master plan. The plan contains projects
intended to create a more residential environment and less
institutional-looking campus. A new
building will be constructed adjacent to the Dierker buildings and is part of
the $7 million to $10 million project to begin in June next year. The addition of an entry way on one of the
Dierker buildings also is included. WDT
c.2000
2001
06 24 NEW CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS; RENOVATE RESIDENTIAL
BUILDINGS
Bethesda Lutheran Homes
and Services, Inc. was given the OK by the Watertown Plan Commission
to renovate residential buildings and build a new corporate headquarters on its
campus. Bethesda, 700 Hoffmann Drive,
will renovate the four Dierker buildings on the campus’ southwest side in the
first phase of its long-term master plan.
Bethesda officials have said the plan contains projects intended to
create a more residential environment and less institutional-looking
campus. The buildings for residential
living will be remodeled to provide a more residential setting and offer
increased living space for residents. In the renovated buildings, 120 single
rooms will be offered. A dining and
kitchen area will be built on each floor of each building.
08 20 GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONIES
Approximately 300
people attended the groundbreaking ceremonies Sunday afternoon at Bethesda
Lutheran Homes and Services, Inc., making way for the future. People came as far away as Texas, said Dr.
David Geske, chief executive officer at Bethesda. Bethesda was given the go-ahead by the
Watertown Plan Commission in June to renovate existing residential buildings,
construct a new corporate office on the campus, as well as renovate other
structures. The project will total about
$46 million. Included in the first phase
of the project will be renovation of the Dierker residential building. The new residential living areas will provide
a more homelike environment for the clients, who will have their own private
room. Dining and kitchen areas will be
built on each floor. WDT
Dec DAY SERVICES BUILDING OPENED
The new Watertown Day
Services building open in December 2002, a short distance away from the
Bethesda campus. The open house for the
new facility was held on February 5, 2003.
2002
-- -- SUMMER FUN AT CAMP MATZ!
Each year, hundreds of
children and adults travel from all across the country to visit Camp Matz - a
very special campground nestled inside a beautifully wooded area on the grounds
of Bethesda’s North Central Campus in Watertown. Camp Matz is one of a handful of camps that
is designed specifically to help people with developmental disabilities enjoy
the outdoors. It is fully accessible,
including its sandboxes, swings and nature trails.
Camp Matz also takes
Bethesda’s mission, to provide the highest-quality, Christ-centered services
for people with developmental disabilities, to heart by offering an outdoor
chapel that gives campers the opportunity to worship in God’s wonderful
creation. It’s an opportunity to share
Christian fellowship with fellow campers and make each day a new celebration of
life.
Church groups, youth
groups and families travel to Camp Matz every summer as part of the Lutheran Church
- Missouri Synod Servant Event program to enjoy a week full of fun, summer
activities with people with developmental disabilities.
This year, 34 groups
from 12 different states made their way to Camp Matz for a week of summer
fun. There was plenty of warm weather to
greet the campers over the 12 one-week summer camp sessions, and both volunteers
and campers made the most of their time together at Camp Matz.
-- -- Renovations to the
Watertown Campus’ Dierker D-First and D-Ground living areas were completed at
the end of March, and people began moving into these areas in the beginning of
April. The next living areas to be renovated are Dierker C-First, C-Ground and
E-First. The new program building is
moving along on schedule. The roof, the
floors, and most of the outside work is complete.
-- -- The Board of Directors
has given their approval for the construction of a new Watertown Day Services
building. It is hoped to have this
building completed by the end of August.
-- -- The home at 208 East
Haven Drive in Watertown has been completed, and people moved in during April.
Five people from the Watertown Campus moved into this home, as well as one
person from the community.
-- -- POOL OF BETHESDA
AWARD: Alexander Napolitano
The Pool of Bethesda
award is presented annually to recognize an individual who has made national or
international contributions of service and leadership in the field of
developmental disabilities.
The 2001 Pool of
Bethesda Award recipient, Alexander Napolitano, dedicated his career to the
field of developmental disabilities services. For nearly 23 years, he served as
Bethesda’s executive director.
During his tenure,
Bethesda expanded from its original Watertown Campus and two group homes to
include 39 facilities, nine supported living apartments and four service
offices in 11 states. He established Bethesda’s first independent apartment
living arrangements, expanded the number of group homes, and initiated the
respite and day services programs. He was instrumental in the establishment of
Camp Matz, and in the establishment of the NCRC. In 1993, he was presented with an honorary
Doctor of Letters Degree from Concordia University. Alexander Napolitano has
served as a member of the President’s Committee on Mental Retardation and has
been an outspoken supporter of expanded Medicaid funding for people who have
developmental disabilities.
-- -- CHRISTIAN SERVICE AWARD
FOR PROFESSIONALS: Marlys Taege-Moberg
Bethesda’s Christian
Service Award for Professionals is presented to recognize Lutherans who devote
their professional time, talents and energy to helping people who have
developmental disabilities at the local, state, or denominational levels.
This year’s recipient,
Marlys Taege-Moberg, is a 1950 Cum Laude graduate of the Marquette University
School of Journalism. She became Bethesda’s Director of Public Relations in
1974, Development Director in 1980, and was promoted to Corporate Affairs Administrator
in 1986.
An accomplished author,
Moberg has published several books, including: Why are They So Happy?, Wings,
and God Gave Women Talents. In 1994, she received an honorary Doctor of Letters
degree from Concordia University - Wisconsin, and was Concordia Century Club’s
Keyperson of the Year in 1986.
Currently, as Executive
Director of the Christian Council on Persons with Disabilities, Moberg
advocates for individuals, organizations and congregations to take an
evangelical perspective regarding persons with disabilities.
2003
05 24 DAY SERVICES FACILITY MEETING EXPECTATIONS
The new Bethesda Day
Services building at 761 Milford St. is a visual sign that Bethesda Lutheran
Homes and Services is fulfilling its mission of integrating people with
developmental disabilities into the flow of the community. The Day Services building serves clients by
offering a training and teaching type of setting, according to Jan Zwart,
Bethesda’s community services administrator for the state of Wisconsin, who
added, “It’s not an adult day care program.”
The Day Services program in Watertown has been moved into its own
building to give the program its own identity as an outreach program. Life skills training and vocational
development are offered to help developmentally disabled adults become more
independent. WDT
11 06 HORICON COUNTRY STORE DONATION
A check for $145,000
was presented Wednesday by the volunteers of the Bethesda Country Store at
Horicon to the Bethesda Lutheran Home in Watertown. Accepting the donation was Dr. David Geske,
chief executive officer at Bethesda, who said the funds will go directly to
Bethesda’s Watertown campus to pay for projects that directly benefit the 250
residents there. The particular projects
the funds will pay for will be selected from Bethesda’s wish list by the board
members of the country fair. Last year
the group presented a check for $155,000 to Bethesda and in 2001 the
organization raised the same amount as this year, $145,000. WDT
2004 100th ANNIVERSARY YEAR
The ongoing remodeling of the campus
has not only enhanced its appearance, but dramatically improved the efficiency
of work and, most importantly, improved the quality of life for those
supported.
Ohio Parish Ministry Consultant Norma
Neuhart moved to Watertown to fill the music coordinator/chaplaincy
representative position that had been vacant for some month.
January CORPORATE CENTER COMPLETED
Bethesda’s Corporate Center, located on
the grounds of the Watertown campus, was completed, providing an efficient,
central location for over 100 members of the corporate staff.
02 15 NAMED "BUSINESS OF THE YEAR"
On February 15, the Watertown Chamber of Commerce named Bethesda its
"Business of the Year" in its Service/Professional category. This award is given to a business whose
operations have "contributed significantly to the enhancement of the
Greater Watertown area marketplace."
North Central Region Administrator Debbie Zubke remarked that it was
especially pleasing to receive this honor the same year Bethesda celebrates its
100th anniversary.
04 09 GESKE ELECTED TO THE BOARD of Lutheran
Services in America
David Geske, president
and CEO of Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services Inc., has been elected to the
board of directors of Lutheran Services in America. This is not only a personal
honor but it also reflects the admiration and respect of (Lutheran Services)
members for the mission of Bethesda, Geske said. Geske has headed up Bethesda since 1998. He
also serves on the executive council of IMPACT, an international alliance of
service agencies that provides financial aid, services and advocacy for
individuals with disabilities in Eastern Europe and the Dominican
Republic. WDT
Summer CAMP
MATZ: WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBLE TREEHOUSE
Bethesda's Camp Matz became an even more unique camping
experience this summer with the construction of a wheelchair-accessible
treehouse on its grounds. The treehouse
itself is the first of its kind in the Midwest, with room to hold 10-15 people
in wheelchairs plus staff. It features
400 square feet of area with a 200-foot ramp leading up to the treehouse. The ramp zigzags through the trees and provides
places to rest on the way up or down.
Campers at Camp Matz will be able to use the treehouse to enjoy various
activities and even experience overnight camping under the stars.
Autumn CAMP
MATZ: ARTICLE ON
Bethesda
Messenger, Autumn 2004 (full
article, pdf file)
With its paved hiking
trails through beautiful wooded areas, an outdoor chapel area, and the ability
for youth groups from around the nation to spend a week getting to know
individuals with developmental disabilities, Camp Matz on Bethesda’s Watertown
campus has been a summer attraction for over 35 years. But this summer, Camp Matz became even more
unique with the construction of a wheelchair-accessible treehouse on its
grounds.
The treehouse was
officially dedicated on Aug. 14, as a part of Bethesda's Watertown Campus 100th
anniversary celebration.
Autumn NEW
DAY SERVICES BUILDING
Bethesda received the conditional use permit for the new Day Services
building in Watertown. Bethesda has
finalized the plans and construction began during the first week of July. The building itself should be completed by December. Bethesda purchased four lots on Wakoka Street
in Watertown, Wis., on which the organization intends to build two duplexes and
a six-person group home.
11 05 CAMP MATZ:
WEBSTER SCHOOL CAMPING TRIP
A group of students at Webster Elementary School learned more than academics
during a recent overnight camping trip at Watertown's Camp Matz. The camp, located on the grounds of Bethesda
Lutheran Homes, was an opportunity for teacher Pam Vonderohe's fifth-grade
students to learn about cooperation and teamwork. Vonderohe and her 12 pupils took part in
outdoor projects, many including aspects of their American Indian social
studies curriculum. “Part of it is to do
something out of the ordinary with them,” said Vonderohe, who has taken three
classes on the outdoor adventure. “We
get away from the daily grind and enjoy each other’s company away from
school.” WDT
2005
-- -- FRONTIER
MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC
Today, Bethesda's
progressive nature continues with the opening of the Frontier Mental Health
Clinic in Watertown, a clinic designed specifically to serve people with a dual
diagnosis of a developmental disability and a mental illness. Due to the efforts in Wisconsin toward
community integration, the clinic was deemed important by Bethesda to improve
the mental health services available to individuals with developmental
disabilities who have this dual diagnosis and who live in the community.
Services provided by the clinic include counseling,
behavior analysis and treatment, functional skills assessment and training for
replacement behavior, intellectual testing, adaptive testing and psychiatric
services.
Spring RITTER BUILDING RAZED
“THE WATER GATHERERS”
INDENTIFIED
by Henry John Yeend King
During the razing of the Ritter building an oil painting was identified as a work of
Henry John Yeend King.
08 31 53rd ANNUAL BETHESDA
COUNTRY FAIR
Volunteers who are
currently organizing the 53rd annual Bethesda Country Fair had an opportunity
to see how the funds they raised at last year’s fair were used on the campus of
the Bethesda Lutheran Home in Watertown. Last year’s fair resulted in a donation
of $152,000 and much of that donation was used to construct a tree house that
is 14 feet high and includes a ramp that is more than 200 feet long. It is a
part of Camp Matz on the Bethesda campus and is the first of its kind in the
Midwest. It has room for 10 to 15 people in wheelchairs and the staff working
with them. The tree house is a part of a camp that includes cabins with room
for 42 campers and staff to provide one-on-one assistance. WDT
09 05 GOOD SHEPHERD COMMUNITIES TO MERGE WITH
BETHESDA
Good Shepherd Communities,
based in California has reached an agreement in a letter of intent to merge
with Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services, Inc., headquartered in
Watertown. The move will dramatically
increase the number of people supported by Bethesda. Good Shepherd Communities is a Lutheran
agency similar to Bethesda in terms of mission and philosophy. The histories of the two agencies have been
intertwined since Good Shepherd’s inception.
WDT
2006
--- GOOD SHEPHERD
COMMUNITIES BECOMES BETHESDA SUBSIDIARY
07 05 ADDITION
OF GOOD SHEPHERD COMMUNITIES (GSC)
Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services
has announced the expansion of the organization to several western states
through the addition of Good Shepherd Communities (GSC), headquartered in
Orange County, Calif. The expansion
comes a year after the two companies reached an agreement to merge through a
letter of intent in September 2005.
09 02 45
YEARS OF SERVICE
Bethesda honored Dave Tietz Tuesday for
his 45 years of service to the organization.
Watertown Mayor John David attended the special luncheon held at Dave
Tietz Day corporate center in honor of Tietz, and proclaimed Tuesday to be
“Dave Tietz Day” in the city of Watertown.
In bestowing the honor, David commended Tietz for his service to
Bethesda and the individuals with developmental disabilities who receive
services and supports from Bethesda.
09 15 BETHESDA
TO SERVE FEWER PEOPLE
The Watertown campus of Bethesda
Lutheran Homes and Services will serve fewer people by the end of the year,
officials of the facility announced on Friday.
Bethesda officials made the announcement as part of an overall change in
its structure and scope of services in Wisconsin. At a meeting of Bethesda staff this week,
Debborah Zubke, Bethesda’s North Central Region administrator, announced plans
to reduce the population of individuals served on the 700 Hoffmann Drive campus
from its present census of 175 to 150 by the end of the year. Zubke said if the people affected by the move
so desire, they will continue to be served by Bethesda, many in group homes
located in Watertown.
2007
04 29 VOLUNTER
RECOGNITION
Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services Inc.
honored its volunteers during a recent luncheon. Recognized for serving the campus 30 or more
years were Mildred Hildebrandt, Eunice Ott, Alice Rahn, Ken Holzhueter, Welthy
Mueller and Dorothy Gartzke. Rahn also
received the Behnken Honors Award for her 38 years of volunteering in various
departments at the home.
05 09 JOBS
THAT BENEFIT SOCIALLY, EDUCATIONALLY AND FINANCIALLY
The Community Job Placement Program
based out of Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services’ Watertown campus has placed
four individuals with developmental disabilities in jobs that benefit them
socially, educationally and financially.
The goal of this program is to place people with developmental
disabilities in positions they will eventually have the ability to perform
independently. Bethesda differs from most
providers in this area because this program imposes no finite end date in
regard to the support of a job coach, according to Nick Honeck, creative
services specialist for Bethesda. He
added the job coach also works with other employees, empowering them to work
best with a co-worker with developmental disabilities.
05 15 AL
ZIELKE CORPORATE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services
Inc. in Watertown honored the organization’s corporate staff earlier this month
and named systems programmer analyst Al Zielke the 2007 Corporate Employee of
the Year. “What distinguishes Al is his
commitment and the Herculean effort he puts into his job,” said Brian Tennant,
chief information officer. “Everybody’s
really working hard,” Zielke said. “I
don’t feel like I’m doing anymore than anyone else.” The daylong festivities began with a social
gathering, where employees mingled and enjoyed coffee and doughnuts. Rev. Earl Bleke, chief religious life
officer, began the celebration with a special address and prayer.
07 17 CHAPLAIN
SCHEMPF HONORED
Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services
Inc. in Watertown recently honored Chaplain Michael Schempf for 25 years of
serving in the ministry during a special chapel service. Schempf’s primary goal over the years has been
to provide ongoing spiritual support to those who live at Bethesda. Schempf leads worship services three days a
week and provides confirmation instruction, Bible studies on the main campus
and group home Bible studies in the community.
He also helps introduce Bethesda’s mission to new staff and meets with
families when they initially bring loved ones to Bethesda.
11 15 ANNUAL
COUNTRY FAIR AT FAIRGROUNDS DISCONTINUED
HORICON — Volunteers with the Bethesda
Country Fair, following an appreciation luncheon in their honor on Wednesday at
Horicon, voted to discontinue the annual Country Fair at the Dodge County
Fairgrounds. With an aging volunteer group and a growing Bethesda Country Fair,
volunteers have been expressing concern about their ability to continue to haul
goods and equipment to the fairgrounds and put in the long hours that it takes
to run the annual sale. Bethesda Country Fair began more than 55 years ago as a
fund-raiser for the Lutheran Deaconess Hospital in Beaver Dam. Since 1973,
funds were directed to Bethesda Lutheran Home in Watertown. WDT
2008
01 07 FIREFIGHTERS
BATTLE BLAZE AT BETHESDA
Firefighters battled a blaze today
outside of a day services building at Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services Inc.
that was caused by a damaged gas line.
The Watertown Fire Department received the call for the fire at the
Bethesda building, 761 Milford St., today at 6:42 a.m. Firefighters had the blaze under control at
6:55 a.m. and completely out at 7:14 a.m.
The fire occurred outside of the building and was caused by a cracked
valve on a gas line. Fire started when
the gas came in contact with an ignition source in an air handling unit. The building sustained minor smoke damage.
01 24 DAVE
TIETZ RETIREMENT
Dave Tietz, an employee at Bethesda
Lutheran Homes and Services Inc., has retired after 46 years of service with
the company. “It’s been great having
Dave work here,” said Dr. David Geske, chief executive officer of
Bethesda. “I suspect his level of
commitment and loyalty isn’t something many organizations see very often.” Tietz worked at Bethesda’s print shop, which
prints the company’s publications and mailings.
The shop has also started printing outside jobs as well.
03 03 Dr.
JOHN E. BAUER, PRESIDENT AND CEO
The board of directors at Bethesda
Lutheran Homes and Services Inc. has named Dr. John E. Bauer as the president
and chief executive officer of the company.
Bauer replaces Dr. David Geske, who recently retired after a nearly
30-year career with Bethesda and Good Shepherd Communities. Following the affiliation of Good Shepherd
Communities with Bethesda in 2006, Bauer served as integration manager at
Bethesda and was responsible for overseeing the details of the affiliation and
ensuring the adoption of the best practices from both organizations.
04 18 THRIFT
SHOP REMODELING
Bethesda’s Retail Thrift Shop in
Watertown will soon undergo a major remodeling project, according to Dr. John
E. Bauer, president and chief executive officer of Bethesda Lutheran Homes and
Services Inc. Plans are under way to
remodel the entire store, which will include moving the current gift shop from
the main campus to the front of the thrift store. Additionally, the thrift store will be adding
a new color scheme, as well as new shelving and racking systems. Store hours are also expected to expand, although
those details have not yet been disclosed.
12 17 EMPLOYEES
AND INDIVIDUALS HONORED
Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services
Inc. recently honored its employees and individuals who have made significant
contributions to the field of developmental disabilities during its annual
banquet held at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee. Dr. David Geske, former president and CEO of
Bethesda, received the Pool of Bethesda Award, which recognizes an individual
who has made national or international contributions of service and leadership
in the field of developmental disabilities.
The award also recognizes those who have made accomplishments that
positively impact the lives of people who have developmental disabilities. Geske’s career with Bethesda spanned more
than 40 years. During this time, he
served as Bethesda’s director of social services and assistant executive
director before becoming CEO of Good Shepherd Lutheran Home of the West, which
later became affiliated with Bethesda.
2009
03 05 Bethesda
Fire Pit Project WDT
05 15 MERGED
WITH GOOD SHEPHERD COMMUNITIES
Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services
has merged with Good Shepherd Communities.
The decision was reached at a special meeting of Bethesda’s membership
on Saturday. Good Shepherd, which
operates in four western states, has been a wholly controlled subsidiary of
Bethesda since 2006. The combined
organizations have 3,000 employees and an annual operating budget of $155
million. The merger will be effective
Sept. 1 and will result in a single corporation with a new name, Bethesda
Lutheran Communities. Good Shepherd has
been tied to Bethesda since its founding.
In 1949, a family traveled from
California to Watertown to inquire about placing their son on a waiting list
for admission to Bethesda. Unable to
meet their son’s needs, Bethesda provided consultation and funding assistance
to establish Good Shepherd Lutheran Home of the West, later known as Good
Shepherd Communities.
06 15 DENNIS
VANDEN HEUVEL
Watertown resident Dennis Vanden Heuvel
has been hired to Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services development department
where he serves as a major gift planner.
Vanden Heuvel’s responsibilities include working with Bethesda friends,
donors and supporters who have an interest in the organization’s ministry. Vanden Heuvel will work in Wisconsin,
Minnesota and Illinois in order to share Bethesda’s successes and discuss the
lives impacted by the organization’s ministry while also encouraging the
generous support of Bethesda’s work.
09 01 BETHESDA NOW BETHESDA LUTHERAN
COMMUNITIES
Merger of Bethesda and
Good Shepherd Communities
Dr. John
E. Bauer, president and CEO of Bethesda, speaks to employees this morning as
the organization celebrates the change in its name to Bethesda Lutheran
Communities.
Bethesda
Lutheran Homes and Services began business today as Bethesda Lutheran
Communities. The change is the product of the full and complete
merger of Bethesda and Good Shepherd Communities as well as a yearlong branding
and identity study.
Good
Shepherd Communities, which operated in four western states, had been a wholly
controlled subsidiary of Bethesda since 2006. The merger and related
name change were approved at a special meeting of Bethesda's membership in May
and became effective today. Good Shepherd has been tied to Bethesda
since its founding in 1949, however. A family traveled from
California to Watertown to inquire about placing their son on a waiting list
for admission to Bethesda. Unable to meet their son's needs,
Bethesda provided consultation and funding assistance to establish Good
Shepherd Lutheran Home of the West, later known as Good Shepherd Communities.
“The
words ‘Bethesda' and ‘Lutheran' were simply deemed to be core to our identity,”
says Dr. John E. Bauer, president and CEO of Bethesda. “‘Communities' is a
natural choice not only because of the Good Shepherd Communities legacy, but
because it accurately describes our ministry. Our work is found in
neighborhood communities around the country and we work to build up faith
communities that welcome and nurture spiritual lives.”
Originally
founded in Watertown in 1904, the name Bethesda did not appear until
1924. It existed as Bethesda Lutheran Home until 1992 when the name
was changed to Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services. Today, the
newly merged organization of Bethesda Lutheran Communities has 3,000 employees
and an annual operating budget of $149 million. Bethesda's corporate
headquarters will remain in Watertown.
Now
in its second century, Bethesda provides services to 2,000 individuals with
developmental disabilities throughout the country. Together with
partner agencies, they also provide support in numerous international locations
including Romania, Latvia, Russia, Kenya, Tanzania, Kazakhstan and the
Dominican Republic.
2010
05 15 Dr. John E. Bauer, president and CEO, elected
to board of Lutheran Services in America (LSA)
WDT
2011
02 03 Watertown
Challenge Assn triathlon to benefit Bethesda Lutheran Community
Services WDT
08 27 Rebecca
Kleefisch tours Bethesda WDT
2013
06 19 BETHESDA
LUTHERAN COMMUNITIES TO CLOSE WATERTOWN INTERMEDIATE CARE FACILITY IN 2014
The
Bethesda Intermediate Care Facility will close Aug. 31, 2014. The decision, made by the Bethesda Lutheran
Communities Board of Directors, was announced by John E. Bauer, Ph.D.,
president and CEO of Bethesda, on Tuesday, June 18.
Seventy-three
people with intellectual and developmental disabilities currently live at the Watertown
Intermediate Care Facility (ICF). The state of Wisconsin will oversee the
transition plan that will include representatives of Bethesda. This transition
team will support people and their families and guardians to find homes that
meet their needs and preferences in the community. If people supported at the
facility desire to have Bethesda continue to provide supports for them,
Bethesda will provide options that include adult family homes, apartments and
duplexes in the area.
Relocation
meetings will begin in July 2013 and continue until all people currently living
at the Watertown ICF have transitioned to their new homes. Meetings, organized
by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, will include managed care
organizations, representatives from Disability Rights Wisconsin, the Ombudsman
Program, Aging and Disability Resource Centers and Bethesda.
Since
1904, Bethesda has been committed to providing opportunities to people with
intellectual and developmental disabilities so they may live more independent
and fulfilling lives in their communities.
“The
transitioning of people from Bethesda’s Watertown ICF into community homes is
the culmination of 40 years of efforts to enhance lives through community
integrated services,” Bauer said. “Bethesda’s ministry is defined by its
dedicated employees, not buildings. Bethesda’s person-centered, community-based
mission is central to everything we do. We hope people will continue their
trusted relationship with Bethesda in a community home that best meets their
needs. The Bethesda promise to support the choices of people with developmental
disabilities drives how we collaborate with individuals to reach their
residential, vocational and spiritual goals.”
Bethesda’s
state-certified ICF provides 24-hour nursing supports, comprehensive health
care and rehabilitation services for people with intellectual and developmental
disabilities. For more than 20 years the Wisconsin Department of Health
Services has assisted counties in relocating individuals with developmental
disabilities from ICFs into the community.
As
part of the transition, each person supported in Bethesda’s Watertown ICF will be
provided with options, including counseling by their local Aging and Disability
Resource Center. Bethesda will assist in all aspects related to this
person-centered planning process. Residential options will be determined by
each person individually, with assistance from families or guardians where
necessary. For people who choose to continue with Bethesda as their provider,
ICF staff will be offered the option to work with them in their community
homes. Bethesda’s ministry consultants will provide people with spiritual
supports during and after the transition process regardless of which service
provider they choose.
“As
Bethesda has decreased the number of people supported at the Watertown ICF over
the years, dedicated employees have made the transition with people as they’ve
moved to integrated homes in communities throughout Wisconsin,” said Gretchen
Block, regional director of Bethesda’s North Central region. “Change can be
stressful, but when you have people who care about you right there to support
you, it makes all the difference in the world.”
Bethesda
will assist people supported at the Watertown ICF and their families through
every step of their transition into the community.
“This
process isn’t new to Bethesda; we’ve supported hundreds of people over the
years to find homes closer to family, while better connecting individuals to
community resources and neighbors,” Block said. “We are excited to support
people while they take this next step in their lives. People will find living
in a house or apartment in a neighborhood to be satisfying. It’s the kind of
life every person deserves.” Residential alternatives will be explored by
Bethesda in response to how many people choose Bethesda as their provider.
Community-based options offered by Bethesda may include adult family homes,
apartments and duplexes. Bethesda has 24-hour and intermittent residential
supports in community homes, all with on-call nursing assistance.
In
2010, 25 people transitioned out of the Watertown ICF into Wisconsin community
settings. Seventeen people selected Bethesda as their provider. Currently,
Bethesda provides nearly 1,800 people with community-based residential services
and employment and community life programs, as well as almost 5,000 people with
spiritual support in 13 states.
Fall THRIFT
SHOPS (5-page article)
Winter CAMP
MATZ (4-page article)
Winter
2013-14 Messenger article
2014
07 16 BETHESDA
HOUSING PROJECTS GET UNDERWAY
Bethesda Lutheran Communities Tuesday
afternoon broke ground on a $6 million residential project that will result in
the construction of two duplexes and five community-based residential
facilities. When completed, the nine new
residences will become home to most of the 60 men and women with intellectual
and developmental disabilities who currently reside at Bethesda's Intermediate
Care Facility at 700 Hoffmann Drive in Watertown. Bethesda announced in July 2013 that it
reached an agreement with the state of Wisconsin to transition those men and
women into community-based settings, where they will be able to continue
pursuing lives of increased choice and independence. Construction of the seven residences will be
completed as early as November. Bethesda
will transition the men and women from its Watertown intermediate care facility
into their new homes as construction of each residence is completed. WDT
-- -- BETHESDA BENEFACTOR
MEINHARDT
RAABE
Because he grew up near
the Bethesda Lutheran Home in Watertown, Meinhardt
Rabbe was familiar with their work in supporting people with intellectual
and developmental disabilities. And
because he experienced discrimination and prejudice based on his appearance and
perceived abilities, like many of the people Bethesda supported, he gave to the
institution with an open hand and an open heart. Blessed by his career in show business,
Meinhardt donated more than $3.5 million to Bethesda through estate gifts and
legacy donations before he passed away in 2010.
In summer 2015, his estate donated another $1 million to Bethesda. 2014-2015 Bethesda Annual Report
09 22 BETHESDA
NAMES THIRTLE PRESIDENT AND CEO
The Bethesda Lutheran
Communities Board of Directors, in a unanimous decision, has appointed
Mike Thirtle, Ph.D., as Bethesda's new President and Chief Executive
Officer. Thirtle joined Bethesda in
September 2013 as Vice President for Strategy and Information Services and was
later named Executive Vice President. He
has served as Bethesda’s Interim President and CEO since September 2014
following the retirement of Bethesda’s previous President and CEO, John E.
Bauer, Ph.D.
In his first executive
action as Bethesda's President and CEO, Thirtle named Jeff Kaczmarski as
Bethesda's Executive Vice President. Kaczmarski has served as Bethesda's
Interim Executive Vice President since September, and has also served as Vice
President of Legal Affairs since joining Bethesda in 1993.
Before joining
Bethesda, Thirtle worked for the RAND Corporation in various roles for 12
years, including as director of the RAND office at Air Combat Command at
Langley Air Force Base, in Virginia. Prior to joining RAND, Thirtle was
director of consulting for the National Data Corporation in Chicago, and a
senior consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Los Angeles. Thirtle’s academic credentials include a
Ph.D. in Policy Analysis and a Master of Philosophy in Policy Analysis, both
from the RAND Graduate School, an MBA in Finance and M.S. in Economics, both
from Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.
Thirtle graduated with military distinction—in the top one percent of
his class—from the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado,
where he earned a B.S. in Biology and minored in Spanish.
Prior to Bethesda,
Kaczmarski worked as a business litigation attorney in Madison and Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. Kaczmarski has a law degree
and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
In addition to
organizational leadership changes, the Bethesda Lutheran Communities Board of
Directors elected Dr. F. Paul Carlson as Board Chairman after Arvid Schwartz
chose not to run for re-election.
Schwartz, who has served on the board since 2003, will remain on the
board. Carlson is the founder and owner
of Carlson Group, LLC, which specializes in business re-structuring and
financing. He has also served on the
boards of directors at Cascade Microtech and Tektronix, semiconductor test
equipment manufacturers that are both based in Beaverton, Oregon; Frank Russell
Trust Co., an investment advisory firm in Tacoma, Washington; and PacifiCorp,
an electric power utility company based in Portland, Oregon.
The Bethesda Lutheran
Communities Board also elected Dr. Virginia Miller and Dr. Roger Burtner as
Vice-Chairman and Treasurer, respectively. Rev. Alan Bachert was re-elected as
Secretary.
Jim Huebner and Duane
Schlomer announced their retirements from the Bethesda Lutheran Foundation
Board. The Bethesda Lutheran Foundation Board is responsible for oversight on
Bethesda's endowment.
2015
02 12 LAST
RESIDENTS TRANSITIONED FROM CAMPUS TO COMMUNITY
Bethesda has invested more than $6
million to construct the nine new homes to support the people transitioning
from the Watertown Intermediate Care Facility into the community. Those nine
homes include a pair of duplexes that were licensed by the state of Wisconsin
as four adult family homes with each side of the duplex serving as its own
adult family home, and five state-licensed community-based residential
facilities. Bethesda began moving people from the Watertown main campus into their new
community homes in early December 2014, as construction and licensure by the
state of Wisconsin was completed. WDTimes
article
07 05 NO
RESIDENTS BUT A CAMPUS REMAINS Wisconsin State Journal article
09 08 BETHESDA
TO CELEBRATE A RESIDENT OF "OZ"
TODAY’S TMJ4
TODAY’S TMJ4
On Saturday, September 12, Bethesda is celebrating
the legacy of Meinhardt Raabe, a longtime donor and supporter of Bethesda, who
played the Munchkin Coroner in the Original Wizard of Oz film, and served as
Oscar Mayer’s spokesman “Little Oscar,” driving around the famous Weinermobile
and making appearances for the company.
09 10 MEINHARDT
RAABE'S LIFE CELEBRATED
Meinhardt
Raabe will be celebrated at Bethesda on Saturday. The celebration will honor "The Wizard
of Oz" actor who played the munchkin coroner and was known as Little Oscar
the World's Smallest Chef. He retired
from that role in 1971. Raabe, who was
born in Watertown, died at the age of 94 in 2010 and is buried in
Farmington. Raabe was an avid supporter
of Bethesda during his life. The event is timed to coincide with Raabe's 100th
birthday, which would have been Sept. 2.
The celebration includes a picnic, hot air balloon rides for $10, an
opportunity to see a collection of Meinhardt Raabe memorabilia, a scavenger
hunt, a costume contest and a showing of "The Wizard of Oz."
-- -- BETHESDA
COLLEGE
The Bethesda College of Applied
Learning is how Bethesda connects people of all abilities who want and deserve
to go to college. Combining a liberal
arts focus with skills development coursework, Bethesda College's curriculum is
designed for students with developmental disabilities who are seeking to grow
intellectually, vocationally, socially, personally and spiritually.
Bethesda College is currently offered
through a joint effort between Bethesda and Concordia University Wisconsin
(CUW) in Mequon, Wisconsin. This
partnership is a natural fit for the two organizations that share a century-long
Lutheran heritage. Bethesda College is
the only postsecondary program in Wisconsin that blends the best practices of a
nationwide service provider for people with developmental disabilities with the
learning environment and resources of an accredited university. Bethesda College's two-year curriculum
centers on formal instruction in four areas: academics, career preparation,
adult living skills and cam pus community life.
Students enrolled at Bethesda College live in a residence hall alongside
other students at CUW. Bethesda Messenger,
Spring 2015
2016
01 20 BETHESDA
APPOINTS DAVE GRIEBL CFO
Bethesda Lutheran Communities has named
Dave Griebl as new chief financial officer (CFO). Griebl will lead and direct the
organization’s finance team. Griebl
earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and
his MBA from Marquette University. Prior to coming to Bethesda, Griebl was a
senior consultant at Patina Solutions and CFO at QPS Employment Group, both
located in Brookfield. Griebl replaces
longtime Vice President of Administrative Services Jack Tobias, who is retiring
this spring after 40 years of service to Bethesda.
02 08 BETHESDA
APPOINTS PAM DUCKLOW REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Bethesda Lutheran Communities has
announced Pam Ducklow as the new regional director for Wisconsin. Ducklow was promoted from her role as area
director for the Watertown area and will now oversee all seven of Wisconsin’s
areas, which includes 62 programs supporting people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities. One of her key roles in her new position will be to
work with area directors and program managers to ensure the highest possible
quality of care for the people Bethesda supports. Ducklow succeeds Gretchen Block who was
recently promoted to division operating officer for Bethesda’s Eastern
Division.
2017
03 09 CAMPUS
BUILDINGS SHIFT TO EFFICIENCY STATE
In an effort to save money, Bethesda
Lutheran Communities has begun transitioning its former residential campus into
an efficiency state that will render its 10 buildings unavailable for
lease. The decision is expected to save
Bethesda around $750,000 annually. The
buildings once served as elderly living facilities to a peak 660 residents in
the 1960s. As time went on, those under
Bethesda's care were transitioned into community based services which support
several smaller homes throughout the city.
The campus's last dozen residents vacated about two years ago leaving
the cluster of buildings largely uninhabited.
The change will include all former resident buildings along with some
office buildings that were part of the campus's support system.
07 07 CAMPUS
BUILDINGS TO BE DEMOLISHED
Bethesda Lutheran Communities announced
it would be razing 11 buildings that make up its former residential
campus. The decision from Bethesda comes
after several years of trying to market nearly 350,000 square feet of buildings
on the campus’s prime riverfront location.
The cost of utilities and maintenance for the largely unused buildings
proved too excessive for the company. It
costs $1.4 million a year to keep the lights, heat and water on at the
facility. The demolition has displaced
numerous tenants including Great Expectations Early
Learning Center which leased space in one of the buildings on the campus for
its entire 13-year existence.
08 15 TO SELL GROUP HOMES TO PRIVATE FIRM
Bethesda
Lutheran Communities announced plans to sell about 30 of its group homes in
Wisconsin to the Kentucky-based forprofit company ResCare. The change is expected to take place on Oct.
7 and will leave Bethesda with 19 programs in the state. No further reductions are currently planned
in Wisconsin. The focus in the future
will rely less on operating group homes and more on expanding programs and
services that foster independence and integration with the community.
10 19 DEMOLITION VARIANCE PERMIT
Public Safety &
Welfare Committee, October 4, 2017. 1.
Review Demolition Permit Variance request from Bethesda Lutheran
Communities. Four variances were
requested from the City’s permitting process.
City Engineer Holloway provided information regarding discussions with
Bethesda and with the DNR, regarding this request. Following discussion regarding Erosion
Control and Storm Water fees and Inspection fees, motion was made and seconded
to allow the Demolition Variance Permit as presented and recommend that it be
forwarded for plan approval requirements, once inspection fees are received by
the City. This passed unanimously. Council proceedings, 10
19 WDT
10 19 WISCONSIN RAPIDS THRIFT SHOP TO CLOSE
WISCONSIN RAPIDS –
Bethesda Thrift Shop, which has operated in Rapids Mall since 2004, will close
on Dec. 30. The planned sale of the
Rapids Mall to the John E. Alexander South Wood County YMCA and Boys &
Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area prompted the closure.
11 20 TWO NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEMBERS
Bethesda Lutheran
Communities has elected two new members to its board of directors, Cesar
Villalpando of Burbank, California, and Randall Odzer of Des Moines, Iowa.
Villalpando has spent
his career in health care and most recently served as senior vice president,
enterprise shared services, at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, where
he held several executive and leadership positions during a nearly 30-year tenure.
A graduate of
California State University, Villalpando holds a master’s degree in human
factors and a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Since 2008, Odzer has
been chief financial officer for the Principal Financial Group in Des Moines.
He also previously served as CFO at OptumHealth Care Solutions/United
Behavioral Health and Cigna Behavioral Health.
Odzer earned his master
of business administration from the Kellogg School of Management at
Northwestern University.
Bethesda’s board of
directors also has recently elected new officers.
Dr. Virginia Miller
became the first woman in the organization’s 114–year-history to be elected
board chairman. She directs the Women’s Health Research Center at the Mayo
Clinic in Minnesota.
Miller replaces
retiring chairman F. Paul Carlson, who Bethesda thanks for his years of service
to the organization as a board member and chairman.
Other new officers
include Cathy Brondos, Haymarket, Virginia, vice chairman; Dr. Roger Burtner,
Fullerton, California, treasurer; and Tiffany Manor, New Hartford, Connecticut,
secretary.
11 14 BETHESDA IS LOVE
In the kickoff to Bethesda
Lutheran Communities’ new campaign, “Bethesda is Love,” a time capsule opening
ceremony occurred Friday afternoon in starting its next chapter and honoring
Bethesda’s history. Both copper box time
capsules were recently discovered after the demolition of two chapels. Several items unleashed Bethesda’s past,
including photographs, Bibles, bulletins, German documents, hymnals and
programs. The time capsules date back from 1936 and 1981. A German Bible cover wore its markings on
documents, showing its aging color after years of being sealed in the 1981
copper box. Watertown Daily Times newspapers dated Dec. 6, 1980, and May 22,
1936, were both uncovered in the time capsule.
12 07 DEMOLITION PHASE BEGINS / 200 ACRES TO BE
CLEARED
Bethesda Lutheran
Communities Inc. currently is in the demolition process to raze 11 buildings,
some more than 100 years old. Bethesda’s
board of directors made the decision for the redevelopment due to the high maintenance
costs for buildings that remained unoccupied, serving no future use for the
organization. Once the building
demolition is complete Bethesda will have cleared more than 200 acres of its
400-acre property in the hopes of selling the land to a developer.
2018
01 22 DRONE FLY OVER OF CAMPUS
Footage taken January 14th, 2018 of the beginning stages of demolition
for parts of the Bethesda Lutheran Communities campus
01 30 DEMOLITION IN PROGRESS >> VIDEO HAS BEEN REMOVED
04 26 HERFURTH ESTATE DONATION
Phil and Kay Warren
presented a $250,000 check to Bethesda Lutheran Communities from the estate of
Hildegarde “Hildey” Herfurth, 1923-2016.
The donation will be used to support Bethesda’s mission to provide homes
and other services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
07 24 PRAIRIE RESTORATION PERMIT APPLICATION
Public Works
Commission: Prairie Restoration permit
application for Bethesda Lutheran Communities at 700 Hoffman Drive. Interim Street Superintendent Franks
explained Bethesda would like to turn 12 acres, which previously had buildings,
into a prairie until it is redeveloped.
Motion carried to grant this permit and review in three years for a
possible burn if needed.
08 28 BETHESDA IS ACCREDITED BY EVANGELICAL
COUNCIL FOR FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
The Evangelical Council
for Financial Accountability recently announced the accreditation of
Bethesda. The accreditation is based on
the ECFA Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship, including financial
accountability, transparency, sound board governance and ethical
fundraising. Bethesda joins a growing
number of Christ-centered churches and ministries across America, supported by
over 27 million donors that have earned the right to display the ECFA seal.
When an organization is accredited by ECFA, it demonstrates its willingness to
follow the model of biblical accountability.
09 14 FRANK VICE PRESIDENT OF RETAIL
Bethesda has named Juli
Frank its vice president of retail to lead the organization’s 16 thrift shops
and donation centers in seven states. In
her new role at Bethesda, Frank brings a history of leadership in retail
management, market solutions, including new stores and remodels, inventory
management, merchandise optimization and central planning, a news release said. Frank earned an MBA from the University of
Wisconsin- Madison and a bachelor’s degree in retail merchandising from the
University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
12 24 NEW OFFICERS FOR
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ELECTED
The Bethesda Lutheran
Communities’ Board of Directors elected a new slate of officers to serve on its
executive committee.
2019
04 26 BETHESDA
THRIFT CLOSING MADISON STORE
The Bethesda Thrift
Store, 201 Cottage Grove Rd., will close by the end of June but the organization's
15 other stores in seven states will remain open.
05 20 BETHESDA TECHNOLOGIST EARNS A CERTIFICATION
Barb Silver-Thorn, technologist with Bethesda, has
earned the assistive technology professional certification by the
Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America.
This certification will create opportunities to put technology to work to
enhance the lives of people Bethesda supports.
An assistive technology professional analyzes the needs of individuals
with disabilities, assists in the selection of the appropriate equipment and
trains the consumer on how to properly use the specific equipment. Silver-Thorn will use the knowledge learned
through the credentialing to support assistive technology integration
throughout the organization. Her work includes the assessment of people
supported to determine how and what technology can further enhance independence
and inclusion -- ultimately changing the way care, support and services are
delivered.
02 26 xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Bethesda has named Lorene King as its new vice
president of philanthropy. As a key
member of the executive leadership team, King is responsible for executing a
comprehensive plan to support all aspects of philanthropic giving. WDTimes article
06 03 PRESIDENT’S VOLUNTEER
SERVICE AWARD
Bethesda employee and volunteer Naomi Neuberger was
awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award, bronze level, which recognizes
citizens who live a life of service through presidential gratitude and national
recognition. Neuberger received the
award by giving over 100 hours of her time over the past several years to help
people supported by Bethesda.
Working with her congregation, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Watertown,
Neuberger was a key partner for Bethesda’s production of Night to Shine, a prom
for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For two years, she planned and coordinated
all of the volunteers for a pre-prom formal wear event in which prom-goers
could get outfitted for the dance. The
event was hosted at Good Shepherd where she also mobilized congregants and
friends to bake cookies and volunteer at Night to Shine.
In addition to supporting Night to Shine, Neuberger
and the Rev. David Groth, who is also a supporter of Bethesda, have been
instrumental in motivating the congregation at Good Shepherd with local
needs. Neuberger knows all of the people
supported by Bethesda in the area, having served them professionally as a
Bethesda employee for over 25 years.
Neuberger continues to advocate for many people
supported by Bethesda as a case manager for Care Wisconsin. She’s also involved
in the Lutheran Women’s Mission League and helps people supported by Bethesda
feel welcome at church. Along with the
ultimate honor of presidential recognition, Neuberger received a personalized
certificate, an official pin and a congratulatory letter from the president of
the United States.
06 19 DAVE SNEDDON NAMED COO
Sneddon brings more than 15 years of operations
experience to his new role, having worked with a variety of human services and health
care organizations in various markets throughout the U.S. Most recently, he served as Divisional Vice
President of Operations for Five Star Senior Living, where he oversaw all
operations for 66 facilities in 11 states, a division with $350 million in
annual revenue. Sneddon has also held
leadership roles with VIVAGE, Managcare, HCR-Manorcare, Plum Healthcare and the
Ensign Group.
Sneddon earned his master’s degree from the Terry
College of Business at the University of Georgia and his bachelor’s degree in
sociology with a communication minor from Brigham Young University. He will be
based in the Denver, Colorado area.
09 24 SAVOIE NAMED FINANCE VP
Bethesda has named Brian Savoie as its new vice
president of finance. As a member of the
executive leadership team, Savoie is responsible for the finance and accounting
functions within Bethesda. Savoie most
recently served as chief financial officer for the American Society for Quality
(ASQ) in Milwaukee, where he led the finance, accounting, information
technology, organizational excellence and office services work groups at the
70,000-member nonprofit professional society.
He also held finance leadership positions at VF Corporation, in
Appleton. Brady Corporation in Milwaukee, and Nike, Inc. in Beaverton,
Ore. Savoie earned his bachelor’s degree
in industrial engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering. He earned and his MBA from Carnegie Mellon
University in Pittsburgh.
10 08 MINA CHANG NAMED VICE PRESIDENT OF QUALITY
As a member of the executive leadership team, Chang is
responsible for all aspects of quality and training within Bethesda and for
developing programs to further enhance the quality of supports Bethesda
provides. Most recently, Chang served as
the assistant commissioner of primary care access and planning for the New York
City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, one of the world’s largest health
organizations. Chang earned her
doctorate and master of public administration from Ohio State University. She completed her undergraduate degree at the
National Chung Hsing University of Taichung, Taiwan.
11 27 CESAR VILLALPANDO NEW
BOARD CHAIRMAN
The Bethesda Board of
Directors has elected Cesar Villalpando the new chairman of the
board, succeeding Dr. Virginia Miller, who has stepped off the board after nine
years of service. In addition, three
officers on the executive committee – the Rev. Jay DeBeir, Randall Odzer and
Catherine Brondos – were re-elected to their roles, and a new director, Jim
Rymarcsuk, has joined the board. Each
leader brings expertise and a shared commitment to Bethesda’s mission.
2020
06 04 CITY PURCHASES 172 ACRES FROM BETHESDA FOR TREATMENT
PLANT
The Watertown Common Council approved a resolution to
purchase 172 acres of land for $1.9 million from Bethesda Lutheran of Watertown
near the city’s wastewater utility for possible future expansion of the
plant. The wastewater utility determined
that the acquisition of this real estate would serve to help with future
wastewater treatment discharge permit limits and potential future wastewater
utility operation needs that have yet to be determined.
07 -07 CHIEF
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION OFFICER
Sri Nagarajan has joined Bethesda as chief technology
and innovation officer. Nagarajan earned
a master’s degree in information management from Carnegie Mellon University in
Pittsburgh; an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern
University in Evanston, Ill.; and a master’s degree in financial management
from Pondicherry University in India. His bachelor’s degree in commerce is from
the University of Madras, also in India.
09 11 CLOSING GROUP
HOMES, DAY PROGRAMS AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
Once-mighty Bethesda presence fades even
more
Citing the fact that its revenue streams are drying up
due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bethesda is closing its group homes, day
programs and employment services in Watertown and Wisconsin. Its corporate office will remain in
Watertown, albeit with staff reductions.
"Providing the very highest quality living and program
services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities has always
been challenging, given we experience financial loss due to the low level of
Medicaid reimbursement," Don Klein, senior director of public affairs,
said. According to Klein, COVID-19 and
the resulting economic downturn have made things much worse for Bethesda.
"But they are necessary for us to thrive in the
future and move forward with our vision to be the innovator for our
industry," he said. "We are
committed to providing new and innovative services including Behavioral Health,
Financial Services, Independent Living, Transition Services and Employment
Services, and putting smart technology to work.
These services have the potential to transform the lives of the 6.5 million
people in the U.S. who have an intellectual and developmental disability. We look forward to helping more people
achieve the brighter future they deserve."
09 23 BETHESDA THANK YOU NOTE TO COMMUNITY
In light of closing
selected facilities [ pdf file ]
09 24 BETHESDA CORNERSTONE VILLAGE OPENED
September 24, 2020, the
grand opening of Bethesda Cornerstone Village in Victoria, MN. Including seniors 55+ and independent adults
with developmental disabilities, this groundbreaking residential community will
further the cause of independence, inclusion and community—today and for years
to come.
10 23 BETHESDA
CO-DEVELOP OF APARTMENT BUILDING PROPOSED
Shorewood's apartment
development proposed
An apartment
development that would provide a mix of affordable and market-rate units is
being considered for a site that includes SunSeekers, a tanning salon at 2420
E. Capitol Drive.
That building would be
demolished, with its lot used for the new apartment development.
It would include
affordable apartments set aside for adults with developmental disabilities who
are able to live independently, Ewald said.
Watertown-based
Bethesda Lutheran Communities, which provides services for people with
intellectual and developmental disabilities, would be involved in the project.
Bethesda would
co-develop the building, tentatively planned for 52 apartments, with Catalyst
Construction, said Tom Campbell, Bethesda vice president of real estate. Up to 25% of those apartments would be set
aside for people with disabilities, he said.
"It's an inclusive housing model.
They need quality housing, and they need it at a low cost." Source: Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel, 10 23, 2020
2021
01 12 BETHESDA CORNERSTONE VILLAGE DEVELOPMENTS PROPOSED
Two housing developments
that include apartments set aside for adults with developmental disabilities
are in the works for Milwaukee's near west side and Wauwatosa. Both are being proposed by Watertown-based
Bethesda Lutheran Communities Inc., a nonprofit group that provides services
for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Online article
03 03 “BECAUSE YOU
LOVE ME"
Jessica Meuse finished fourth in the
13th season of "American Idol" and wrote “Because You Love
Me." After visiting Bethesda’s
headquarters in Watertown it took her only a short period of time to write her
song.
06 03 TO BUILD
APARTMENTS FOR ADULTS IN MILWAUKEE
A rendering of the
Bethesda Cornerstone Village - Highland housing development. (Rendering: Quorum
Architects)
Watertown-based
Bethesda Lutheran Communities is moving forward with plans to bring a new model
of housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to
Milwaukee’s near west side, the first of what could be several similar
developments in the area. Bethesda plans to build a 68-unit apartment building at 3200 W. Highland
Blvd. that will include units reserved for adults with intellectual and
development disabilities and units for seniors.
The $15.7 million
project is planned as a 75,000-square-foot building. Thirteen units would be dedicated to adults
with intellectual and development disabilities and 55 units would be for
seniors aged 55 and above. In total, 62 would be affordable-rate and six would
be market-rate units.
09 17 CAMP MATZ
BURGLARY & VANDALISM
Sometime over the
weekend of September 17, 2021 several buildings at Camp Matz were burglarized
and vandalized. Watertown Officers were
able to recover a significant amount of evidence from the scene. This is an active investigation and police
are following all available leads.
Camp Matz is a
campground on the south side of the city, located on property owned by Bethesda
Lutheran Communities. The Camp is
handicapped accessible and designed for those with developmental disabilities.
01 12 BETHESDA WILL
REBRAND AS ABLELIGHT on January 10, 2022
BETHESDA/ABLELIGHT
POSTING:
. . . . About our new
name and logo
The name “Bethesda” has
served this organization well for nearly a century. You may recall days gone by in which most
Lutheran church congregants would have an instant idea of what Bethesda is and
who it serves, by name alone. “Bethesda
Sundays” were commonplace.
Yet as we looked at
where we are today and where we need to go tomorrow, a few things became
clear. Many people outside the Lutheran
faithful didn’t know what Bethesda was – there are other “Bethesda”
organizations out there, including churches, a city in Maryland, and a computer
gaming company. So much confusion! In fact, in the communities where we provide
services there are more than 575 organizations that carry the name Bethesda!
To discern our path
forward, we needed to consider the views of a variety of important
stakeholders, including:
- Present and future
people supported, and their families
- Our employees
- Our current and
prospective donors
- Members of churches
and faith communities
“Over the course of the
last year, we connected with hundreds of individuals in these categories and
asked what was important to them,” said Cindy Moon-Mogush, Chief Marketing and
Communications Officer. “For our longtime
donors, a connection to faith was paramount.
For donors we hope to join us in the future, making progress toward
supporting the whole person was at the top.”
Balancing these valuable perspectives as our starting point, we
undertook a thorough and thoughtful process to determine our new name and how
we communicate more effectively. We
considered our history and our plans for the future. From there, we identified
and vetted a new name – AbleLight – from more than 1,000 choices. With approval of the Board of Directors, we
moved forward with a rebranding process in earnest this past summer.
Our logo: Celebrating
past and present
At first glance, the
logo AbleLight certainly appears different than the Bethesda logo, yet there is
continuity with our past – by design. In
particular, take a close look at the figure of a person surrounded by light. This works in two ways. First, it represents the services we provide
that embrace the “whole person,” not just meeting some of their needs, but
surrounding them with loving care.
Second, you may also
notice that the light surrounding the figure recalls many images of Jesus that
have been created for hundreds of years.
In this way, we proudly reaffirm our Christian roots and mission.
Not changing quite yet
While we will soon be
AbleLight, we are not there yet. The
legal name change will take place on January 10, 2022.
As our name changes,
it’s important to reflect on what’s not changing. We are here to serve the disability community
through our Christian mission. We are
the same people serving the same needs.
While we will look and feel a bit different going forward, the mission
continues, stronger than ever!
11 06 CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS FOR SALE
2022
08 17 FORMER BETHESDA
SITE TO BECOME NEW YMCA,
EXPANDED CHILD CARE AND MORE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
The
Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation (the Foundation) is proud to announce
the purchase of the former Bethesda Corporate Center and 90 adjacent acres
along the Rock River on the city's south side. The Foundation plans to transform
the campus into a thriving work-live-play neighborhood that models best
practices in community connectedness, health and wellbeing.
Over
the next 10 months, the former Corporate Center will be renovated, reopening in
the summer of 2023 as The Collective. In 55,000 square feet over three floors, The
Collective will house a new YMCA Child Care and Early Education Center, a satellite
Express YMCA, Jefferson County Head Start, and nonprofit and innovation
coworking spaces. In its entirety, members of The Collective will be a vibrant
community of changemakers championing strong families and a prosperous
community.
Development
of The Collective and adjacent property is an exciting next step toward the Foundation's
vision of vibrant communities where everyone enjoys health and wellbeing. The
project will also catalyze development in one of the City of Watertown's
priority development areas.
"Collaboration
is foundational to everything the Foundation does, and this campus will provide
many opportunities for community partners to collaborate in improving community
vibrancy and wellbeing," said Dr. Mike Sullivan, Foundation Board Chair.
Since
2017, the Foundation has facilitated Every Child Thrives, a partnership of 50+ agencies
across Dodge and Jefferson Counties working to ensure all children thrive in
health, learning and life. The Collective campus investment is designed to
accelerate transformative impact toward Every Child Thrives' strong families and
prosperous community goals. The community benefits of this project include:
·
Creation of a new, high-quality early care and
education center with capacity to serve 126 children.
·
Nonprofit service colocation so families can
access wrap-around supports in one, convenient location.
·
Sharing of office space, resources and
services to provide efficiencies for nonprofit service providers, allowing
agencies to focus time and attention on those they serve.
·
Shared professional development to advance community
impact.
·
Wellness programming to support healthy
lifestyle and strengthen community.
·
80+ acres of housing development. A needs assessment
is being completed now and a community master planning process will launch in
late 2022 to identify how the neighborhood can address the housing shortage
affecting all demographic groups in our region.
"The
Collective is more than just a work space," says Tina Crave, Foundation President
& CEO. "It's a catalyst for our mission, which is to inspire collaboration,
mobilize resources and encourage innovation that measurably contributes to the
wellbeing of our community."
The
Collective will serve as an innovation center, piloting best practices for childcare
business sustainability. Outreach from The Collective to early care and
education providers across Dodge and Jefferson Counties will connect providers
with resources to improve quality of care and operational effectiveness.
The
Watertown Area YMCA also announced plans for The Collective to be the future home
of the new, full-size YMCA. The YMCA would be developed in two phases based on
the support of community donors. Phase one would relocate current operations
from the old Watertown High School with amenities including a Gymnasium,
Wellness & Free Weight Center, aerobic activity studios and Youth Center.
The second phase would center on the addition of a state-of-the-art aquatic
facility for instruction, recreation and water safety. The YMCA will release
details of future plans as they become funded.
A shared investment in community
"The
Collective is a dream we've explored behind the scenes for many years," says
Crave. "After exploring several options, from building new to repurposing
space, we are excited to bring these dreams to life at this location."
Total
capital costs to purchase the 90 acres, renovate and finish the 55,000 square foot
Collective are budgeted at $16 million. Jefferson County and Dodge County have
each allocated $200,000 and the City of Watertown has allocated $400,000 of
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to support The Collective's goals of increasing
access to quality child care across the region.
"One
of the goals our city council set was to use our ARPA funds in a manner that the
impact of the funds lasted well beyond the funding itself," Mayor Emily
McFarland said. "There is no doubt about it that our community needs more
child care slots; I've seen the data and I've heard it during nearly every
business visit I've done. I'm thankful to the Foundation for leading this
effort, to the YMCA for being an incredible community partner, and to the city
council for allocating this level of involvement. It will make an incredible
impact on workforce availability, on the families in our community, and on the
children in care. In government, you don't always get the opportunity to be a
proactive and strategic leader of change; I'm thrilled we get to be a part of
that with this project."
In addition
to serving as the new headquarters for the Foundation, The Collective will
serve as home for the following agencies:
Watertown Area YMCA
A cornerstone
partner in this project, the YMCA will open a new Child Care and Early
Education Center and a satellite Express YMCA in 2023.
·
The Child Care and Early Education Center will
provide high quality, 5-star accredited care with space for 126 children,
including twice as many infant and toddler positions as a typical Center would
hold. The Center will offer better than industry average wages for staff and
the Y intends to develop collaborative relationships with area businesses
related to childcare fees for their employees. These strategies aim to further
support and stabilize the child care industry as a whole.
·
The Express YMCA will offer 24 hour access
to health and wellness opportunities for all levels, including cardio
equipment, weight machines, and group exercise spaces for traditional classes,
small group training, and virtual/on-demand classes. The space will have
amenities that cater to those who are new or returning to exercise. An EGYM
circuit will offer personalized workouts that are effective and fun with
technology that tailors the experience for each specific individual. "We like
to say it's the last new space of the old YMCA and the first space of the new
YMCA (to be added)" said Jon Lange, YMCA Chief Executive Officer.
·
Future plans include the relocation of
existing YMCA operations to The Collective with a new, full facility YMCA.
Jefferson County Head Start - A federal- and state-funded preschool
program focusing on school readiness for 3-5 year old children, at no cost to
eligible families.
AbleLight
(formerly Bethesda) - Provides
life-changing services that empower people with developmental disabilities to achieve
their full potential.
Community Action Coalition
- A nonprofit working
to end poverty and help people live better lives.
Safe Families for
Children - A professionally
supported volunteer movement dedicated to providing "extended family-like supports"
to local families facing a crisis.
Jefferson County Human
Services - Enhancing the
quality of life for individuals and families living in Jefferson County by addressing
their needs in a respectful manner and enabling citizens receiving services to
function as independently as possible, while acknowledging their cultural
differences.
Innovation coworking
space - This coworking
space invites community changemakers from all backgrounds and sectors into The
Collective. A selective leasing process will prioritize civic-minded entrepreneurs
and businesses who are looking to share space with a network of community
changemakers.
Leases
will include private workspace with wraparound amenities that foster connection
and provide efficiencies, including:
·
Shared, technology equipped conference rooms
·
"The Atrium" a networking and event
space with a grand view
·
Private Zoom rooms
·
Quarterly networking and collaboration events
·
Shared professional development and networking
·
Onsite early care and fitness facilities
·
Shared café space
·
Shared utilities and services (wifi, printing, lawn care, waste removal)
Benefits for all
The
Collective is a shared investment in community prosperity, ultimately lifting families,
agencies, volunteers and businesses.
·
Families will benefit from the addition of badly-needed
early care and education slots, along with convenient access to a variety of
support services.
·
Children will enjoy a five-star learning environment,
preparing them for success at school.
·
Volunteers will enjoy a coordinated approach
that connects them with meaningful, timely tasks that benefit a variety of
agencies.
·
Agencies can strengthen their reach and effectiveness
with:
o Reduced
operating costs (economies of scale, stable and affordable office space, shared
services), and
o Broadened
capacity, impact and sustainability (resources, professional development,
collaboration and operational support).
·
The community will enjoy vibrant new civic spaces.
·
Civic-minded entrepreneurs and businesses can
find a home that is much more than just office space, joining a forward-thinking
community of changemakers.
Renovation plans and Timeline
·
August, 2022 Purchase property Begin remodeling
The Collective
·
Fall, 2022 YMCA will kick off capital fundraising
campaign to raise funds for a full new YMCA Community members will be invited
to participate in a Master Planning process for future neighborhood development
·
Spring, 2023 The Collective opens
To date, the foundation has invested more than $14 million in its five strategic, child-focused priorities:
·
strong families
·
kindergarten readiness
·
school success
·
social and emotional wellbeing
·
healthy eating/active living
2023
02 24 CAMP MATZ
CONSIDERED FOR YOUTH CRISIS CENTER
03 16 YOUTH CRISIS STABILIZATION
FACILITY APPROVED
The eight-bed facility
will be located on property recently purchased by the Greater Watertown
Community Health Foundation. The 90
acres now owned by the foundation are the former home of Bethesda Lutheran
Communities and includes Bethesda’s former corporate headquarters. The 55,000 square-foot office building that
housed the corporate offices is slated to be home to services provided by the
YMCA, Jefferson County Head Start and others. WDTimes article
06 01 THE EHLINGER
CENTER
The Ehlinger Center is
the chosen name for the express Y opening at The Collective later this
summer. In honor of Bill and the
Ehlinger Family. Bill's vision to bring
community together with a focus on health and well-being through the HAWC
ultimately led to the Y being in Watertown.
His dedication and commitment to the Watertown community laid the
foundation for our Y to thrive and grow to what it is today.
Watertown Historical Soc Archives
< PORTFOLIO OF PICS
Bethesda Archives (under construction)
< PORTFOLIO OF PICS:
Album_002_1933-1942.
CROSS REFERENCES:
Weltbuerger Printing Co did considerable work for
Bethesda and their clients
The Henry Mulberger home was one of the biggest and most elegant
in the city, located at 311 S. Washington St.
For many years the home was owned and used as a group home for Bethesda
Lutheran Communities and was later sold and i in private hands.
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin