Community Wellness Center Opens To Rave Reviews

CEO Mick Brant, Governor Jim Douglas, Bank of America’s Holt Fund
Trustee Augusta Haydock, Wellness Director Crystal Mansfield, Grace
Cottage Board Chair Effie Chamberlin, and architect Vance Hosford cut
the Wellness Center ribbon.

December 17 was a red-letter day in Grace Cottage Hospital’s history, as Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas helped to celebrate the opening of the new Community Wellness Center in the Heins Building. “Wellness and prevention are critical in order to control health care costs and to improve the quality of life for Vermonters,” he said. “In the long run, people need to make a change in the way they live their lives – they need to stay as active as possible.”

Thanks to a grant from the Fanny Holt Ames & Edna Louise Holt Fund, a bequest from June Kipp’s estate, memorial gifts for Heidi Shine, two weeks of labor by 30 ServCorps volunteers from Hartford, CT, and the donation of services by architect Vance Hosford, the Wellness Center is now complete.

"The hospital staff did a really amazing job of pulling it all together,” said CEO Mick Brant. “It was a team effort by a lot of people, overseen by Facilities Director Jim Crozier and Wellness Director Crystal Mansfield. The end result far exceeded our highest expectations."

Yoga is just one of many classes offered in the sunny, spacious Activities Room in the new Community Wellness Center. For a complete listing of Grace Cottage Hospital Wellness Program offerings, call (802) 365-3649 or click on “Health and Wellness” at the Grace Cottage web site, www.gracecottage.org.

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