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ILA breaks ground

Work begins for new facility

By Holly Neumann


Iola Living Assistance (ILA) held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new facility on Thursday, July 19.

The Willows will be a 21,245-square-foot assisted living community that will feature 24 apartments, including an eight-bed secured Memory Care Unit.

“Here we are 10 short years after building Living Oaks with another groundbreaking ceremony,” said Nicole Barrett, CEO/administrator of ILA. “During a time that long-term care is suffering, ILA is expanding in its continuum. What an exciting time.”

According to Chamber of Commerce President Greg Loescher, this new venture will help bring financial stability to ILA, provide a place for those in need of aging assistance on a number of levels, bring people into the community to live and work at ILA and visitors to the people who live there.

“The Willows is a positive action for the economic future of Iola,” Loescher said. “The creation of 24 more full- and part-time jobs will provide more than $330,000 in wages. With the viability of the ILA staying open because of The Willows, we are also saving 50 nursing home jobs.”

Changes in Medicaid have caused a hardship on ILA.

“Because of a Medicaid loss of $62 per patient per day, the nursing home loses money every year,” said Barrett. “Living Oaks is a revenue center for us, but it does not bring in enough revenue to break even. The Willows will allow us to bring in that additional revenue piece so that were not in jeopardy of losing our skilled nursing.”

Michael Mazemke, president of ILA Corporation, said the project will help keep the elderly in the community.

“This is the part of care that Iola currently does not offer,” he said. “As the old saying goes, it takes a village or community to raise their youth. Well, it is equally as important that this village take care of their elderly. It’s time for us to step up and help out.”

Mazemke acknowledged First State Bank for the financing for the project.

“They took belief in a project and corporation that most places said no to,” he said.

Construction is scheduled to begin on The Willows next week. The facility should be completed next spring.

The Willows will be located next door to Living Oaks Assisted Living at 505 W Iola St., in Iola.

A Capital Campaign Fund has been started. Donations may be mailed to Iola Living Assistance, Attn. The Willows Capital Campaign, 185 S. Chet Krause Drive, Iola, WI 54945.

The total cost of the project is $3.5 million, with an additional $200,000 for furniture, fixtures and equipment.

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