Village House plans expansion

As Baby Boomers age, they will have specific needs, and at least one nonprofit in Bella Vista is planning to help. Village House is planning an expansion.

The plan is called Project 50 because the goal is for the facility to have space for 50 clients. Currently, there are 30 slots.

Village House, located near the Highlands Crossing gate, provides a place for adults to spend their day when they can’t remain home alone. Many regulars at Village House have some form of dementia. Clients come from all over northwest Arkansas, including a few from Fayetteville and Siloam Springs, executive director Sara Scott said.

The remodel will include a laundry room and possibly a bathroom. Since it has the required number of bathrooms, that may be dropped, she said. There’s a hot meal served every day at lunch, so the kitchen needs to be expanded. Village House has the right amount of square feet already, she explained, but it needs to be rearranged to accommodate extra people. She’s also considering plans to add more outdoor space. There’s already a patio and a raised-bed flower garden, but more outdoor sitting space could be used.

There’s also a need for more storage space for supplies clients use for projects. Staff members, with help from volunteers, provide craft projects, singa-longs and programs to entertain the clients.

The 30 slots at Village House are not all full, Scott said, but she believes the need is coming. The program is the only one in the area that is approved for Medicaid funding.

“We’re doing everything we can to promote Village House and make sure the public knows what we do,” she said. Village House also works closely with Medicaid-approved transportation providers. Inside Bella Vista, Courtesy Van helps transport clients, but outside the city, transportation can be a problem.

The fundraising for Project 50 got a good start with an anonymous gift of $10,000. The donors wish to remain anonymous but also promised to match gifts up to $40,000. The gifts have to be clearly addressed to the building project since Village House receives other donations regularly.

The goal is $100,000 and, thanks to the caring people who donated, Scott thinks Village House will make it.

Photo submitted Village House received a $10,000 donation from donors who wish to remain anonymous, so staff displays the large check. Patricia Ayers is the fundraiser for the organization, Sara Scott is the executive director and Lisa Singleton of Arvest is a member...