City seniors facility celebrates 50th year of operation

By Lethbridge Herald on July 20, 2023.

Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman MLA for Lethbridge East, Nathan Neudorf, Green Acres Foundation board of directors chair, Jeff Carlson, Mayor Blaine Hyggen, Green Acres Foundation CEO, Dawna Coslovi, Blue Sky Lodge resident, Maurice Ronspies and Minister of seniors, community and social services, Jason Nixon plant a tree in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Blue Sky Lodge Thursday afternoon.

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
LETHBRIDGE HERALD

The Green Acres Foundation Blue Sky Lodge celebrated its 50th anniversary Thursday with dozens of seniors who call the lodge home, members of the Green Acres Foundation, and a few government dignitaries in attendance. 

Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services Jason Nixon joined the festivities and briefly spoke to those present highlighting how excited he was to be in Lethbridge for the event. 

“It’s very exciting for me to see while visiting your community, what an impact a facility like this would have for over five decades on the community. To be able to make sure that the seniors like yourself who built our communities continue to live and contribute to our communities long- term,” said Nixon. 

He thanked Green Acres Foundation on behalf of the province for the hard work put into making sure Lethbridge has had a facility like this for 50 years. 

“I congratulate you on behalf of the premier and of the Alberta government on that 50 years and say we’re looking forward to continuing to be a partner to make sure that we can end up not only with facilities like this, but other facilities that will be needed in the community of Lethbridge to make sure the seniors can continue to call Lethbridge home,” said Nixon.

Lethbridge Mayor Blaine Hyggen, after congratulating Blue Sky on the big milestone, thanked the audience for the opportunity to visit the different Green Acres Foundation lodges on a regular basis.  

“We try to do the best that we can within our community, to serve those that are living within it and I want to make sure that I thank you all for the opportunity we’ve had on a regular basis to go and travel amongst all the different Green Acres buildings and be able to have coffee with a councillor – it’s an opportunity to come and hear from the community,” said Hyggen. 

Shortly after congratulatory speeches, a tree was planted with Nixon, Hyggen, Green Acres Foundation Board Chair Jeff Carlson, Green Acres Foundation CEO Dawna Coslovi, and Blue Sky resident Maurice Ronspies each adding soil to the ground after Hyggen placed the tree in it. 

Coslovi spoke to media after the tree planting  and said the Blue Sky Lodge is one of the oldest buildings within the Foundation in Lethbridge. 

“It’s a great building and everything, but the most important thing are the people that live here, that’s what makes us so special because we have really special residents. We have the honour of providing them housing services, so that that’s what makes it so special,” said Coslovi. 

She said when people look at the building, they are not able to tell it is 50 years old as it has been well maintained and that is something the Foundation is very proud of. 

“That’s why it’s going to be here in another 50 years, I’m sure with different people but it will still have the same vibrancy, and the same feel, and the same fun,” said Coslovi. 

She said something she finds pride in is knowing some residents live there because their parents have lived there and that is a testament to the quality of care they receive.

“That’s a testament, because if it was a bad experience for their loved ones they wouldn’t come here, so I think that I take that as a pat on our back that they think that the place is great for their parents or their loved ones and now they’re coming back,” said Coslovi. 

They also have had residents living in this particular lodge who had been previously employed there. 

“We actually had a resident here who used to be the matron way back for a short period, so we’ve had former employees also living here,” said Coslovi. 

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