The Benedictine Living Community in Crookston will be partaking in the regionwide Giving Hearts Day on Thursday, February 9, to raise funds for services in the Community. All of the funds raised on Giving Hearts Day will be going towards one of their largest projects and greatest needs: the repairs and updates to our elevators. There are two elevators in The Summit Assisted Living and a service elevator between the Villa and the Summit that are all in need of repair.
The gearboxes in the two cable elevators at The Summit are original from 1950. The electrical controls, or black box, were updated 30 years ago in 1993. This black box is now obsolete, and parts can no longer be obtained. If this black box were to quit working, the elevator would be completely out of commission. The service elevator is hydraulic, and the controls were replaced in 1993 as well.
With the kitchen being located in the basement of the Summit, all of the food is brought over to the Villa on carts, and the only way that allows them to do so is using the service elevator. The food that is prepared for the children at the Cathedral School is also prepared in this kitchen and brought up on a cart each day to be picked up and brought over to the school.
The laundry and maintenance departments are also located in the basement of the Summit and use the elevators to bring over laundry carts and their tool carts.
At the Summit, there are four floors, with the main dining room on the first floor, the lounge on the second floor, the nurses’ station, activities, and cafeteria where snacks are served are all on the third floor, and the exercise equipment and terraces are on the fourth floor. The elevators allow tenants to be able to enjoy the features and amenities that are located on each floor.
The tenants at the Summit need to use the service elevator to get to the Chapel and various activities that are held at The Villa.
The elevators truly are a lifeline for residents, tenants, and staff, and while elevators may not be the most glamorous of projects to fundraise for, being able to get from point A to point B throughout the facility is a basic need.
The BLC-C will be hosting a drive-through donut and coffee event on Giving Hearts Day, on February 9, from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
